Pride Or Heart
by WolfDan
Summary: After failing for the second time to finish his enemy off, now Steele has one new target - his younger son Tayer! But, with his malice and murderlust persona, how long is he going to be like that? Who is going to drop a visit to him? And more important, is Steele ever going to realize that it is him who has to change?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Demise Has No Luck

The splashing of the cold river water in his face caused the black Alaskan Malamute to wake up at once. The Malamute, covered in the Alaskan snow, while resting on his side at the river bank, stirred from the splashing water and in the matter of the seconds, he opened his black-patched blue-colored eyes.

The first thing he could feel after waking up was the piercing pain in his head and his back. The pain so piercing that the malamute himself, Steele being his name, was wondering how he was alive. He was curious that the fall from the high waterfall didn't claim his already egoistic and arrogant life.

Trying to ignore the pain, Steele got on all his four carefully, applying the pressure on them with the addition of the pain coming from his back. Much to his delight and surprise, he could walk normally, but slowly. He realized that the snow was accumulating on his body, thus he started shaking the snow off his body. The pain was still present and he winced few times before the snow completely got off his body.

He noticed that some of the snow that had accumulated on his body was stained in red liquid, or crystals due to the low temperature. Looking around his body, he could have spotted few wounds on his side, the wounds that stopped bleeding, but the red was still visible on his black fur.

It was the nighttime, the sky was covered with the clouds and the snow was falling, although it wasn't falling much. The question was... how long had it been since Steele was knocked unconscious and how did everything happen out of blue? His answer was answered very quickly.

With the pain, the irritating itch around his neck was unbearable to handle and trying to scratch himself without applying too much pain, Steele sat down and with his rear leg, scratched his neck. It took him a while to realize that something was missing.

"My collar...?" Steele asked himself, touching his neck with his front paw. His glory collar, which he'd been wearing for years, was no longer around his neck. It was gone, and who knows where could it have been now.

Steele looked in the distance, noticing the waterfall. With the most recent memories of his before blacking out, he connected the dots in his head and realized what happened. Something happened that made him recall the events taking place early that day...

Several hours ago, at the daytime...

Steele was in the fierce river, fighting off his archenemy - Balto the wolf-dog. The two were enemies since the puppy days of theirs and to add the salt to the wound, Steele rejected any kind of Balto's help to return to Nome, stranding the team returning to Nome at the cost of innocent children's lives. Having his dirty plans exposed to the others, he was forced to run for his life out of his birthplace - Nome.

After a years of living in wild, kidnapping Balto's grandpuppies escalated in the great fight and only one would take the victory. With Steele looking gleefully how to drown his archenemy, he didn't seem to be thinking about the actions, but relied too much on his strength.

Balto, while being physically underpowered by Steele, took a chance to look at the two oncoming icebergs towards them. Realizing that Steele's madness was unlimited, Balto used the last bits of his strength to push Steele above, probably ending his madness once and for all.

Realizing that Balto had kicked him in torso and was ascending, Steele could have noticed the icebergs coming. With the panic and fear of demise, Steele tried to get away from the incoming demise-bringers. But as he was about to swim on the surface, he felt something behind him.

The icebergs managed to pin his collar, on the worst part possible, which was the loosest of the entire collar. Realizing he was trapped, he was additionally being strangled by the icebergs and in order to save himself, he realized that he had to do something, get rid of the collar as fast as possible!

Using the last bits of his strength, Steele managed to unpin the collar with his paws by force, which allowed him to release his trachea from the strangling. Pushing himself of the icebergs, that also allowed the collar to squirm out of the iceberg pressure, Steele surfaced for the air.

Gasping for the precious air, he tried to remain unseen because he was being left alone. His ally, Niju, didn't manage to survive the waterfall and speaking of the waterfall... he was dangerously close to it. In the desperate moments, Steele tried to swim to the nearest bank and get out.

But he wasn't strong enough to swim to the bank, being pulled down the waterfall. His screaming was over-sounded by the loud waterfall and by the moment he hit the bottom part of the river, he could have felt the rock on his shoulder before eventually blacking out.

Back to the present...

"I lost to that dirty lobo Balto once again!" Steele growled in the utter rage, slamming with his paw to the ground, which only added more pain to his partly damaged body. Searching for the soft spot on the ground, Steele lied to the snow-covered meadow where he could feel the soothing softness of the grass below him. He just wanted the pain to stop, or at least lose some effect.

Rubbing himself against the snow-covered meadow, Steele could have felt that the pain in the back wasn't coming mostly from there. He could have felt in his chest the water stirring in his lungs, stinging him worse. With the force, Steele started coughing, as if he was suffering from pneumonia. Every cough he made was piercing him badly. The water was coming out in huge proportions after coughing several time on force. Then, it was over. No more water in his lungs and even the pain ceased progressively. Still, he had a piercing headache, while his back wasn't aching that much anymore.

"Another embarrassing defeat." Steele muttered to himself in an utter frustration, looking at the grass peaking from the snow. The plan of finishing off his archenemy, with the assistance of his ally Niju, who desired to finish Aleu off for "stealing away" his pride and leadership, was a total failure. None of them actually achieved what they desired any only Steele himself was alive.

"He was a worthless ally." Steele thought to himself. The thought of Niju just heated up the frustration at his deceased ally, who only had an assassination in his mind. On the other paw, Steele knew that he had the ace in his sleeve(?) once the plan would go rogue. "No backup plan of him, just to kill her... At least I had a backup plan. I shouldn't have allied with him... I should..."

However, as he was thinking, he could have hear a howl in the distance. That howling snapped Steele back to the reality. It was a female howl, but not any howl that could have been heard in the wild. It was not a female wolf howling. It was a female dog howling in the distance. The question it, why would a female dog in the Alaskan wasteland howl, as there are no human settlements nearby?

"Shira...?" Steele asked, perking with his ear to the distance, raising his head carefully. He swore that he could have hear a female dog howling in the distance. Then the silence occurred, but just a few seconds later, the howl was heard. It was the same one from before. There was no doubt. It had to be Shira, because there were no female dogs anywhere nearby.

Determined, Steele started raising on his paws. The ascending was not really pleasant due to the pain coming from his head and the back around his neck. That didn't stop him to get up and make a few steps ahead, assuring himself he could walk. Knowing he could not run due to the piercing pain, he at least started trotting towards the howl, muttering: "Shira... I am coming... I hope the puppies are just safe..."

As he was heading towards the small den he lived with Shira, he remembered how it all came to be between them. Him living in the wild of Alaska for three years was a rather tough experience. It would have continued if it wasn't for Shira... she was younger than him not just in months, but years. She was a Siberian Husky and she was from the town White Mountain, the town he'd go deliver mail from Nome when he was the star of that town.

Shira's owner, a young kid named Sean, was her best human friend, whose unfortunate passing in the year before made her run for her life, fearing the worst from Sean's parents. She was genuinely terrified living in the wild by herself, but him taking her to shelter her was a solace they both craved for. He remembered telling her a story that Balto was the villain and he himself was the true hero of Nome, banished due to Balto's wrath. He knew it was a lie, but what mattered him the most was to restore his former glory.

He took a special care for her, hunting and giving her the flesh of the wild as she was expecting the puppies with him, giving a birth to four puppies that were husky-malamute hybrids. The three older ones - Taiga, Rodney and Sarah, accepted his story as the accurate one and he knew that had his plan failed, he'd have a backup plan. The youngest one, Tayer, was openly opposing him and for so, he received the abuse from him and the others. Abusing his youngest son made him feel nothing. Steele couldn't face the truth just like that.

Remembering all these facts, Steele realized that he was standing just a few trees away from the den he and Shira lived in, with their puppies as well. Making his way while trying to avoid being hurt was a bit challenging, but knowing the proper way through made it easy for him to go through. Then, he finally made it to the den.

"Shira, are you awake?" Steele asked, looking into the den. But what followed was as if he was flushed by the bad sense of the embarrassment. The den was empty and Shira and the puppies were nowhere to be found. Still, that didn't stop Steele to pick up the scent on the ground, leading him outside of the den. Following the scent, he had noticed the partly-covered dog paw-prints and numerous tiny paw-prints following the adult-size dog ones. Where could she have gone to?

Going as silent as the shadow in the night, Steele must have walked for tens and tens of minutes in the wastelands of the Alaskan forest. The scent he was picking up behind was relatively fresh and more intense it was, he knew that he was closer to his mate and the puppies. Thanks to his stealth skills, Steele suddenly heard a voice nearby. The voice sounded trembling and grieving. Furthermore inspecting the voice, he knew that his mate was nearby.

"Does she think... I am dead?" Steele asked, feeling the shock and awe brewing in himself as he neared the bush. Once peeking through, he saw a black female Siberian husky sitting near the edge of the cliff, with her head lowered down and she was trembling, with the tears streaming down her cheeks with an astonishing speed. Just few feet away, he saw in the small cave the puppies. He spotted the pile of three puppies on one side and one puppy being isolated from the others - Tayer.

"Steele... my love... how could have that mutt take your life away...!" Shira muttered, choking herself in the tears. Her having someone to depend on while struggling to live in the harsh and snowy wastelands of Alaskan wild was fierce. Despite her being a Siberian husky and capable of surviving the low temperatures, she had shown she was vulnerable to the cold of Alaska because of appreciating the home-life better. Then, she rose her head above, opening her watered eyes and walked to the den, looking at the puppies. She had no idea that her mate was alive and just few feet away from her.

Looking at the pile of her three out of four puppies, where the first three puppies of hers, Taiga, who almost completely resembled her father, Rodney, who looked like Kodiak, but with black fur and gray underbelly, and Sarah, who looked like her mother, only with ocean blue eyes and gray underbelly, they were sleeping cuddled to each other. Then she focused on her youngest pup, Tayer, whose looks deemed unusual to her (and even Steele), yet was green-eyed as his mother, with a quite resentful look.

Watching the entire scenario in silence, Steele's face also turned resentful upon spotting his sleeping youngest puppy. The silence was broken with Shira's surprisingly cold and monotonius whispering, enabling Steele to hear: "Taiga, Rodney, Sarah... you have heard from me that your father is no longer with us. Still, you three have carried the legacy of his very well that he's looking you proudly from the sky."

Steele knew how much his mate admired him, but to receive that many compliments from her and the fact she didn't know he wasn't dead in fact left him awestruck completely. However, he snapped back to the reality once as she started whispering with her cold and monotonius voice towards Tayer. He realized that her tone turned quite resentful as she spoke to him: "And you, Tayer... your opposing demeanor towards your father and his story is going to push you deeper to your doom. It is all on you to accept his story as accurate... and then we might treat you better."

Hearing his mate to speak with that tone was quite surprising to Steele, because Shira deemed pretty mellow compared to him. Though, he also knew that Tayer was openly opposing his beliefs and the rest of the family. That just made Steele think: "That little prick is finally going to accept the story and you, Shira... make sure he does, otherwise..."

"Now it's all on me." Shira spoke with her cold whisper in the name of all puppies. Of course, Steele snapped back into the reality. Her voice was piercing enough to break his minds and to focus on what she was saying: "Since that mutt Balto, as your father spoke to me about him, took his life, we are not going to stand this. I am going to take his life away in a retaliation and I leave you to do the same if someone dares to oppose us!"

Upon saying these words, Shira watched her puppies sleeping some more and instead of shrugging with her head as if she was trying to say: "What have I said now?", she nodded in pleasure, heading into the cave to sleep with her puppies, laying closer to the three cuddled puppies and leaving Tayer out of this. As she laid down and was slowly falling asleep, she whispered to them: "I am going to train you to fight. Even you, Tayer."

Steele waited and waited for Shira to finally fall asleep and as quick as the flash, Shira fell asleep in an astonishingly fast rate. The puppies didn't seem to be awaken from her whispering but just continued to sleep. He connected the dots in his own head that Shira believed Steele was actually dead and that she was going to finish the job he could have - finish Balto off and have his glory re-established posthumously, despite him still being alive.

"I am proud at you Shira." Steele smirked with the over-satisfied look on his face. Watching them sleep for some time, Steele quietly backed off, trying not to wake Shira up or the puppies. He looked for a cover anywhere nearby to sleep, hoping that Shira was not going to find him. The luck smiled to his face when he spotted the bush above, with snow covering the entrance to the small cave. Deeming itself empty, Steele sheltered himself inside. It wasn't like a warm home or anything else, but at least was a shelter.

"I believe she's going to finish the job for me." Steele hoped deep inside his arrogant mind, feeling quite sleepy. Before he finally fell asleep, he imagined in his head some of the images that were rather pleasant to him, but not to anyone else who was on Balto's side - Shira finishing Balto off at once and honoring her mate that she finally finished the task Steele was going to do.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Shadow Ranger

The dreams of Steele's were passing through as he was sheltered in the humble cave in Alaskan wastelands. None of the dreams he was having had any meaning at all. They only served to make his time pass on. Even Steele himself in the sleep seemed bored of having such pointless dreams.

"We're going, come on!" The shouting pierced from the distance and started echoing in the caves, causing some snow from the bush branches to descend into the cave and splat down just few feet away from Steele's head. Despite that snow hitting the ground was pretty silent, Steele was awaken by it. He just looked at the snow on the cave ground until he had finally heard the echoes.

"Is Shira... leaving?" Steele thought to himself, because the voice could only belong to an adult female dog and no one else actually. Curious by Shira's echoes, Steele got on his fours, a bit harder as the headache was still piercing through, albeit it had ceased a bit during the night. Taking an each step carefully to get outside to see what was happening, he could have heard Shira's voice, saying: "For crying out loud, Tayer, don't make this any harder!"

Upon hearing that voice, Steele rushed to get out of the cave and he scrapped himself a bit while ascending from the tight entrance. Much to his delight, none of the wounds sustained from the fall got opened, allowing Steele to move on. As he was now on surface, he could have spotted Shira and the four puppies from the distance, prompting Steele to take cover in the nearest bush to make sure Shira would not spot him, since she believed Steele was actually dead.

Peeking through the bush, he could see Shira looking at Tayer angrily, who was standing in front of her whereas the other three puppies, Tayer's siblings Taiga, Rodney and Sarah, were behind Shira's paws. Since he couldn't hear what Tayer said as Steele was getting out of the cave, he could notice Taiga getting close to Tayer and actually growling at him, eventually pinning the youngest one on his back. The way Taiga did that wasn't a kiddish way, but genuinely menacing as he could have spotted fear in Tayer's eyes when Taiga had subdued him. Then, he just nodded, possibly responding to Shira's question before Taiga got off her younger brother.

"You have showed your brother why opposing your father is not a good idea." Shira said to Taiga, who headed back to her and earned a stroke on her head for literally frightening her youngest brother. She nodded with her head to move on as they were going to search for a better shelter or something, as this one didn't deem too safe. Steele, who watched all that happening, smiled in approval and pleasure as Shira made sure his name kept getting honored. After a few minutes, when it was made clearly sure they were gone, Steele followed then, slowly, but steadily.

Their search for the another shelter wasn't just a walk in the park, but a rather good way to exercise the walk in the wild. None of the puppies nor Shira knew that they were being followed by someone they considered as deceased. The only one who didn't seem pained by Steele's demise was Tayer in fact. However, he couldn't have shown his joy for so or the consequences would be terrible for a two-month old husky/malamute hybrid. Then, after an hour, which seemed like the entire day, they have found a larger vacant cave where to shelter themselves for some time.

"Alright, now that your father is no more... the one who claimed his life, the dirty mutt named Balto... who feasts on the undeserving praise, caused by the fear he oozes, is the one we are going to retaliate at. But of course, you can't do it as puppies." Shira said to her puppies, who despite being just two months old, didn't seem to be shocked, except for Tayer of course, that they were actually going to retaliate on someone when they were going to be old enough. Taiga, Rodney and Sarah actually deemed to be ready to avenge their father, but they lacked the fighting skills.

"Mama, is this training going to be hard for us?" The younger daughter, Sarah, asked her mother. The tone of hers, despite sounding pretty innocent at first, was hiding the desire for a vengeance considering the fact that they considered Steele deceased and that the mutt called Balto was enjoying the glory just like that.

"No, sweetie, as long as you listen to my instructions, all of you..." Shira continued talking to her puppies, darting Tayer with her look, who deemed pretty frightened by her look. Even his siblings darted him with their menacing looks. He couldn't do anything but to obey what his mother was saying. "...the training is going to be smooth as silk."

At that moment, Steele got to realize that Shira had taken the matters in her own paws completely and that she was going to make sure her pups were going to be fierce like a fight dogs, only that they didn't have to rely on humans, but on themselves. Thus, in his honor, the enemy of his was going to be taken down for his good and his glory was going to spread all across the generations on his own desire. Before taking a rest to the nearest den, Steele grinned with a fierce-lusting joy, muttering: "Your days are numbered soon, lobo. Sooner than you'd really expect."

As Shira kept her words to be true in the terms of training her pups, she did. Over the course of the next few months, her pups were growing up with an astonishing rate due to their fathers' malamute blood, even Tayer. However, he was the weakest of the four and due to his refusal to avenge his father, he was the victim of his family abusing, only helping his siblings to gain on strength, even Shira.

Steele watched the training Shira had been giving to them and was more than satisfied that their pups were really good at the training, except for Tayer. Bearing no feelings towards his youngest son, nor did anyone else in the family, Steele didn't feel a thing that his youngest son was frequently abused, but was rather satisfied by it. Speaking of Steele, his wounds were recovering and no longer he had to suffer the headache or backache. He was recovering slowly and steadily, enabling him to run again, though he wasn't as fast as he used to be years ago. Not to mention that he was skinnier than usual, with his skin and fur hanging off his belly, as if he was suffering from some kind of illness.

Then, it was around the spring of 1930, with Steele's pups being around nine months old. As they were husky/malamute hybrids, they were as tall as the regular huskies and of course, shorter than regular Alaskan malamutes. Their fur was thick for a malamute, so were their heads. On the other paw, their bodies were built for huskies and even their tails weren't curling up to the bodies, but lowered down, just like Shira's.

Then, the decisive morning came to be, with Steele listening to them nearby...

"This is it, this is the day we are going to avenge your father." Shira talked to them, marching as if she was some kind of the general of some army. Taiga, Rodney, Sarah and Tayer were standing in line next to her. The older three ones all had cold and determined looks, whereas Tayer looked pretty nervous in this kind of the environment. He couldn't do a thing to oppose them, being the weakest. "And remember, if someone attacks you, you strike back!"

"Understood, mother!" Rodney said in the same of his siblings, with Taiga and Sarah nodding in approval, whereas Tayer nodded out of fear. Rodney seemed to be the most muscular out of all four of them and was a pretty tough dog to fight against. "The mutt called Balto is finally regret for taking the life of our great father!"

"Good, very good. Now let's go at once!" Shira commanded to them. The oldest three nodded in an approval, following their mother, even Tayer did. However, his looks were saying: "What have I done to do such an atrocity to someone who supposedly saved my family?!" Shira had to slow down to let Tayer go in front so she could make sure her youngest son wasn't trying to escape. None of the family members felt any kind of compassion towards their "enemy". When they were far enough, Steele had finally used his chance to make a run for it and follow his family to his birthplace - Nome.

As they left in dawn, the purplish-green sky was shifting colors to orange, yellow and as the sun started peeking behind the mountains on the east, the sky was shifting to blue. As Shira and her company stopped several times, so had Steele, making sure his family would do a dirty work for him in the most blatant way possible. Soon enough, when they went through the pine forest, from where they could hear the water in the distance, Steele knew where they were - that forest was the forest that led to the town of Nome.

But, considering the fact that Shira believed Steele was dead, he could have presumed that the word in the town spread about Steele's supposed demise. He decided to spy from the distance, by taking the shelter in the bush that had a very good view on the sole town. From there, he could have seen his mate and the pups entering Nome. Before they disappeared behind the buildings, Steele could have noticed Tayer making a run for it in the town by going into the another alley.

"You really think that your escape in the town is going to work, prick?!" Steele insulted his son as quietly as possible, not wanting to attract the unnecessary attention in the forest, considering the fact that any kind of animal was here and even humans could be hunting in there. But, as he went silent, there was some kind of voice in the distance, behind him. At first, he thought it could have been a moose, challenging a rival for a fight, so that didn't concern him too much.

"Is someone in there? I ask again!" The voice was heard again. That definitely couldn't have belonged to the moose because the voice... as if it belonged to the teenage canine, male one considerably. To make sure he wouldn't attract any more of unnecessary attraction, Steele, with his stealth skills, slowly turned his head behind, to see who was saying that. No one was there... or at least it seemed so. When Steele thought that he could move freely again, he spotted the young gray wolf coming.

The wolf... it couldn't have been one year old... but it was around the same age as his pups. His fur was gray, like a rainy cloud on a pretty wet day. His underbelly was apricot-like, looking smooth and it even felt like as if it was smooth on touch. His eyes were green as they freshly dug-out emeralds in the mountain mines. What was bothering Steele at the moment was that the young male wolf was approaching the place he was hiding and even the wolf didn't notice who was there.

Keeping his breath to make sure the young wolf was going to leave, the time slowed down drastically, as if the seconds were as long as the years. Just few feet away, the wolf stopped and started searching the area, wondering who could have been there. But then, much to Steele's delight, the another wolf ran into the clearing. That one was older than the gray one, old enough to be the gray wolf's father. His fur was as brown as the core of the pine trees. His underbelly matched the same color as his son's fur. Even more surprising - they both had the similar eyes. But what was the most surprising thing regarding the wolf was that... Steele knew who that brown wolf was.

"Denahi, that goodness you're here." The brown wolf said, exhausting in relief, causing Steele to exhaust some of the air he exhaled earlier, without any of the two wolves noticing someone was in the bush. The older wolf seemed rather panicked and rushed, whereas the younger one was quite confused and surprised by his sudden appearance. "We have a trouble in the town - a female dog named Shira, along with her four pups, are the family of the dog who had kidnapped you when you were younger. Your grandfather Balto might be in danger."

"Hold on, dad... how's that possible?!" Denahi, the younger gray wolf, asked his father in an utter shock. However, his father's looks let him know that there was no more time to explain to him how and why it all happened. He knew what he had to do this instant - gather his siblings and get to the crisis spot to make sure no further tensions would escalate. "I shall be right back!"

"Hurry!" His father said, with the mixture of shock and rush. Knowing that his pups could get closer to Nome, as they were growing up in the old boat on the beach till they moved to the forest just three months ago, the wolf returned to the outskirts to the town, wondering what could have happened at that moment. Standing still in the bush, he connected the dots in his head to realize who that wolf was - Kenai, the mate of Balto's eldest pup Aleu, who had sandy-gray fur and tan underbelly, inherited from both of her parents at the same time, having ocean blue eyes and wearing a blue bandanna, a gift from both of Kenai and Aleu's mother - Jenna, the purebred Siberian husky with scarlet red fur, amber brown eyes and orange bandanna around her neck.

As the minutes went on, Steele heard some more movement behind him. Taking a short peek to make sure he remained unseen from the others, he spotted the group of four young wolves running towards the beach. One of them was as sandy gray as Aleu, the other one was as brown as Kenai, then there was Denahi, the gray one. At first, he couldn't have spotted the fourth wolf, but once the fourth wolf was seen running with the beach in the background, he winced in awe when he found out that wolf was white! For a moment, he didn't actually know if that wolf was there or not, as all three or four of them were gone on the beach, near the town.

The minutes prolonged, deeming like weeks. More Steele was waiting in the bush, noticing some kind of the heated argument in the distance, he was questioning himself if there was going to be any kind of face-off between Shira and Balto, as he spotted his archenemy arguing heatedly with Shira. Then, both of them stopped, just stopped. Steele raised his head in the anticipation that the fight was going to ensue. But the fight... didn't happen.

It just didn't... the other dogs that were seen by Balto's side started returning to the town of Nome, whereas Shira and her four pups, were heading back to the forest. Tayer didn't know if what just had happened was a good thing or a bad thing. The others... seemed quite disappointed that no fight was even taking place. But at the same time, their looks showed as if they were trying to say: "This isn't over yet!"

"That mutt had too many on his side, and we're only four of them!" Taiga, the older daughter of Steele and Shira, hissed in anger as they were passing near the spot where Steele was hiding from the others. Steele calculated in his head what was Taiga saying - the fight was going to happen, but that was the thing for the other time instead. He realized that Balto had too many dogs on his side against Shira and the pups. But as they were about to be gone of his sight, he could hear Taiga saying: "And have you seen Tayer? He must have fallen in love with that mutt's granddaughter!"

Following these words, the laughter echoed in the forest and Taiga, Rodney and Sarah were the ones who were laughing actually. As Steele had finally got out of his spiky cover, he silently and stealthily followed them for the next hour or two. Did he hear it right? His son Tayer being in love with Balto's granddaughter?! The thought of his descendant being in love with the member of family from his archenemy utterly disgusted him. And what were the chances he was going to be with her again? "Not a chance that he shall be with someone who's lobo's member of family." He growled.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Shira didn't end with training her pups, hoping that if they were going to face off against their "enemy", they had to make sure that Balto was going to be alone or with a very minimal protection. Steele supervised their training and kept hoping that the day his archenemy was going to be finished off for his good. But, the trainings were getting impossible to do because Tayer was rebelling. He refused to participate into that kind of mission, knowing that Steele's story couldn't have been right. For his rebellion, he was suffering some more abuse.

Then, it just happened... just when it seemed that the training was going to pay off well... Tayer made a run for it. Even Steele could have noticed that, as he was hiding nearby. Tayer couldn't stand it anymore, the abuse, the suppression and so... it just made him run for it. While running for it, he yelled back to his family, who were surprised by his running: "I am not going to do that kind of dirty business for hatred!"

Steele had heard every single word of it. Now he could have heard how much his own son detested him and even worse... he was going to ruin his mission! He should do something, immediately, to make sure his son wouldn't blow something. But before he could run for it, he heard a stampede. Taking a quick look, he saw Taiga, Rodney and Sarah running after him, with Shira staying behind. He heard Taiga commanding to his younger siblings saying: "Once we catch him, he's gonna be in our clutches permanently!"

That gave Steele enough chance to make a run after his other pups when Shira wasn't looking or even paying attention. The run was as fast as flash, done in merely few minutes. With his pups in distance, he saw that they were still after Tayer. Then, his pups just stopped, all three of them. What were they thinking? Their youngest sibling was making a run for it and they let him go? Hiding to the nearest cover behind the bushes, Steele sneaked pretty slowly to the spot where his other three pups were standing. There, he could see his daughter Taiga's face turning from angry to evilly satisfying. There he heard his pups saying:

"Are you sure we just let him go?! Mom is going to be so angry at us, Taiga!"

"But think about it, he is nowhere else welcome, Sarah. Sooner or later, he shall return to us and accept the mission."

"And what if he runs to his girlfriend... what's her name?"

"Galena is the name of his girlfriend, Rodney. But what if her parents don't accept him?"

"Sooooo... that's what Tayer has in mind, love..." Steele thought to himself, being disgusted by that thought. But at the same time, Steele realized what that could have meant. If by any means necessary Tayer would get accepted to the town... then THAT would be the way how Steele's family could get to Balto and avenge him. His face turned slowly from disgusted to evilly satisfying look. Then, he heard three of his pups returning to Shira. Even that he hated the idea of his son being with his enemy's granddaughter, their relationship would make the entire mission better.

Later on, Shira found out what had happened and while he was angry that they let Tayer escape, she did consider that Tayer was going to return, with the change of mind that he would dearly participate in this mission. For now, they had one other assignment to do - have the team trapped in the avalanche and let Balto come to the rescue, thus the ambush would prove itself successful. They just needed to know what sled team was going to be there. The entire plan, as diabolical as it sounded, was just making Steele behaving more lustful, that the day couldn't get any better.

But... the day just went downhill just like that, for them. How could the perfect plan like that go wrong? Going back sometime ago... Taiga, Rodney and Sarah were in the position, with Shira looking from behind and Steele looking from the distance. The three young dogs were observing from the top what team was going to run down on their way to Nome. The team was led by Dingo, Balto's middle son with plum red fur and solid blue eyes, along with his mate Dana, the red-brown female husky with bright blue eyes. When one of the sled-dogs, Yukon, Dingo's older brother, the dark red husky with hazel-brown eyes, tripped on the rock peeking from the snow, his harness just snapped in two pieces, sending the husky down the shallow ravine.

To make sure his fall was the trigger for the avalanche, the three siblings on the top of the cliff found the nearest boulder and with their strength, pushed it down the ravine on the other side. Without any problems, the boulder went down the ravine and caused several banging sounds, loud enough to trigger the ground shaking and snow rapidly descending down the sled-trail. Yukon remained behind as Dingo and the others made a run for it. But they couldn't make it in time... the cruelty of the mother nature was faster than the group of the sled dogs, thus snowing them under.

Balto could have showed there, rescuing his sons. However, Yukon managed to avoid being snowed under and cried desperately for the help. Did he really think that standing just there and crying for help would work, all he had is to call his father to the rescue and unintentionally lead his father to demise. But that didn't happen. It just didn't. As Yukon was making a run for it... Tayer showed up out of nowhere on the trail, with the next thing he was doing was... rescuing Dingo, Dana and the others from the team! Steele watched in rage how his own son was rescuing the members of "lobo"'s family. To add more salt to the wound, Tayer was later assisted by Galena, the plum red husky with blue collar, along with the brown-red male husky and the brownish gray husky. Could these be Dingo's pups? In the matter of the tens of minutes, the rescue came and much to Steele's shock and surprise - he followed the rescuers to Nome!

"I don't think that Shira is going to love this..." Steele said to himself, searching for the cliff where his other three pups were. He spotted them talking to each other, but since he was too far, he couldn't know what they were speaking to each other. Then they left, but he could have sworn that he saw one of the lustful looks on his pups' faces. Were they thinking what Steele was thinking. That prompted him to think: "...but if Tayer does live in Nome now, that means one thing - Shira is going to finish his mission quicker than expected."

Over the course of the next few months, Steele could have seen that his son was now more than welcome in town. Making his short trips to look at the town of Nome, his thoughts of Tayer being with Galena turned out to be entirely true - they were dating each other! Not only that he was dating "lobo"'s granddaughter, but he also made it into Dingo's team and the sled team he was in was not just any. It was his former's team - because he could recognize the musher, the same one Steele lived with before being exiled to the wild. His son was wearing a brown collar, which was as brown as the collar he used to wear. But there was one thing that mattered to Steele - Shira's mission was turning more and more successful as the time went on.

Then, that day had come, after a several months since the last avalanche incident... the event that'd trigger the chain reaction. And it all started with the another avalanche, trapping Kodi's team, Balto's youngest son with dark red fur with brown eyes, similar to his own father, in the cave. The word had spread as fast as light all the way to Nome thanks to Aleu's younger son Denahi who had seen everything. Much to Steele's delight, Balto was going to the rescue!

"Shira, wherever you are, I wish you could see this... he's yours!" Steele whispered to himself, full of evil joy and malice, seeing his enemy going to the rescue, as if it was too good to be true. He did have some of the company with himself, such as Tayer, Dingo and his family, Aleu and her family and some others. Observing their physique, Steele calculated in his own head that most of his companions weren't skilled in fighting. This could be the greatest day of his life!

Except... it wasn't...

The rescuers were digging out the trapped sled team as fast as they could, with Steele watching in pure malice how Balto's time was coming to the end in his perspective. While the rescuers were having pawful of business, Steele could have spotted four black canines peeking out of the forest, only to stand in the middle of the sled trail. No doubts, it was none other else than Steele's family, awaiting for "lobo" to turn around and meet his demise. And Balto did turn around, the same moment when the team was ready to move on back to Nome.

Instead of his enemy's demise, something went quite downhill... as Shira and her daughters were getting dangerously close to Balto and some of his aides, Rodney attacked them first, attacking the black dog who couldn't have been Tayer, as the dog Rodney had attacked had gray underbelly. Tayer noticed that Rodney was attacking the innocent companion and just out of blue, Tayer attacked his older brother. Shira, Taiga, Sarah and the others just watched in shock, as well as Steele did, but the anger started brewing inside him.

"GET OFF MY SON, YOU PRICK!" Steele hissed in the utter rage as Rodney was trying to swing Tayer off him. But due to his uncontrollable swinging and the strength, that caused both of them to slip and Rodney hit something in the snow with his head. Upon the impact, Tayer was still on his paws. But Rodney wasn't. He stopped moving and kept laying on his side. Shira rushed to her son, shaking him to see if he was alive. And then, in the next moment, she furiously hissed at Tayer, who watched the entire scenario in a pure shock and horror. Just a second or two later, Tayer made a run for it in the wild, without anyone following him. Shira growled at Balto before he and his companions, along with Kodi's team, went by all the way back to Nome.

"Rodney... my son..." Steele panted in a very furious fashion, looking at Shira and her daughters as they were desperately trying to bring Rodney to his senses. Much to their surprise, Steele spotted Rodney stirring in the distance and even the females gasped as if the miracle happened out of nowhere. Rodney, shaking himself off, got carefully on all of his fours and was carefully embraced by the ones who surrounded him, before all four of them returned to the forest. Steele exhaled a lot in relief as his older son was alright. But the anger inside him was brewing as Tayer was on the run again. Turning around, back to the dense forest, Steele said to himself once again: "When I find Tayer, he's going to wish he was never born!"

Bearing his claws and observing how sharp they were, Steele watched in rage how could that little prick, who was his younger son, attack his older brother. Knowing that he might possibly destroy the entire operation, Steele started running as fast as he could, wanting to know where his younger son is... and make him pay for what he had done. When he got in the little clearing in the forest, he looked around to see where Tayer could have been. It took him a few minutes to spot a black blur running in the distance, deeper into the forest.

Scoffing furiously, Steele got down easily, despite him being healed fully. Some of his wounds were at the risk of opening again if the pressure was applied too much. Minutes have gone through and Steele was back in the forest again. But as the forest trail in here was thick, he needed to use his head to find a more cleaner spot, where Tayer could have run very likely before.

Making his way through, he noticed that the night was falling, with the blue sky changing through the dark blue till the pitch black, without any stars. It was snowing, as he had spotted numerous snowflakes descending to the ground. Despite that, Steele made his way to the clearing, spotting how the snowflakes were covering Tayer's trails. However, that didn't prevent his father to use his nose to sniff the scent of his. It wasn't the freshest scent to catch, but it was a relatively fresh to Steele. "You may run, but once I get you, you won't have anywhere else to go!"

Running and following the scent at the same time, Steele could have felt what amount of malice was getting inside him. He enjoyed it, every bit of it. But as he was going to make it to the east, where Tayer's scent was going, he heard someone running from the west. Not wanting to engage into any kind of fight, Steele took a cover behind the tree and the bush to see who that was. Peeking to see it better, he saw Galena, as he recognized her by her plum red fur and blue collar. He also managed to see the tears streaming down her cheeks out of desperation. When she was gone, in search of her boyfriend, Steele grinned in an utter cruelty, saying: "Go ahead, find that prick of my son, you'll both freeze to death!"

"GALENA! GALENA!" Two additional voices were heard, prompting Steele to back up to his cover. These voices didn't seem much familiar to him, but as soon as he saw who were the ones yelling her name, he could have spotted two young male huskies, one being red-brown and the other one being brownish-gray. Suddenly, like a flash, the memory came to Steele and he realized that these two were wtih Galena and Tayer, who was rescuing Dingo from the avalanche. Furthermore, Steele kept saying: "How cute, two of your brothers searching for you, only to find her frozen with her love, as well as you two are going to be!"

Still, he couldn't get out of his cover. Someone else was coming, as Steele could have heard someone running in the distance. Not wanting to risk anything, he was hidden once again behind the tree. This time, Steele spotted Dingo running to the east. Knowing that was Balto's son, Steele's evil joy just raised inside him, knowing that if Dingo would freeze in the wild, that would have been the penultimate tragedy to Balto. To make sure no one was going to come, Steele ran silently behind Dingo, who kept saying: "What have I done?! WHAT HAVE I DONE!?"

"Destroyed by the guilt, lobo's son?" Steele thought to himself. He desperately wanted to telepathically say that to Dingo, so that Dingo's troubles would increase and eventually, he'd meet his demise to get to his father. But he didn't say anything, because no one knew he was alive, absolutely no one. He decided to let Dingo bolt ahead and ditch his mission to punish Tayer, letting them to freeze to death instead. Instead, he was going to look how Shira was going to finish Balto off once and for all. Question was... when it was going to happen? And where could it take place?

With that thinking, more voices were coming and Steele could have sworn that he had never heard these before. Trying to stay hidden, Steele spotted a small cave nearby and as it seemed quite empty, he took a cover there. He needed it, as the snow out there was getting stronger and stronger, turning into the blizzard. From there, he spotted two wolves, being dark gray and both of them looked quite messy, yet they were both snickering about something. Did these two see him?!

"Looks like we couldn't catch the little girl... Gale is her name?" One of the wolves asked the another, knowing that the blizzard prevented them from following her. The other scratched himself behind the ear and muttered: "I'd say Lena. But say... this gives me the idea!"

"What idea?!" The first wolf asked, with this tongue hanging out of his mouth. It looked like as if he actually knew what he meant, but decided to remain silent just as long as the surprise seemed relatively fresh.

"Here's the thing. Since Shira wants that mutt to be brought to her so she can finish him off, we tell her that she fakes Gale... or Lena's kidnapping and the mutt will come to his sweet granddaughter, only to find out it was a trap!" The second wolf explained to his companion relatively shortly, with the both laughing diabolically and the first wolf nodded, finding the ideas as awesome as possible, before both returned from they had come.

"That is a great idea! Lobo is not going to make it out this time!" Steele thought to himself very diabolically, knowing that if Balto was going to claim Galena, he was going to be done for once and for all. So he had a new goal: Watch Shira finishing Balto off in any way possible and if she was going to throw him to his death, Steele was going to show up to him in the last moments of his life, re-claiming his glory! These diabolical things in his mind kept circulating as Steele was preparing himself for the sleep.

The plan of the two wolves worked... Balto decided to go to Shira and to reclaim Galena, risking his life in the process... but he was not going there alone... all the dogs of Nome was going to go with him, but Nikki, Kaltag and Star, for some reasons...

Just two days after Tayer's escape to the wild, Shira, who managed to make a short pact with the wolves, the same ones Steele had seen while hiding in the cave, only with more of them this time, was awaiting, along with Taiga, Rodney and Sarah, for Balto to show up. That was the moment for the wretched joy of his family. Once Balto was going to show up and to realize Galena was not there, he was going to be no more from then on. Steele, who was below the cliffs of that pack, noticed the stalagmites peeking from the snowy ground. That made him think the following - if Shira was going to toss Balto to his death, his life was going to officially end on these spiked stalagmites, further expanding Steele's murderlusting joy.

"Shira!" The yelling was heard from above and Steele perked his ears above. It was "lobo", arriving to Shira's den with the wolves, to claim his granddaughter back. Steele started laughing in himself as the trap was going to happen and as soon as he heard the evil laugh from above, Steele fell on the ground and he himself started laughing in pure evilly joy. THIS was going to be the moment of his life, the sole peak he'd been awaiting for a long time!

Then, the hissing and the growing was heard above, following with some yelping. That meant one thing - the great fight was taking place above and all that mattered to him was when Balto was going to be thrown to his death and that'd be Steele's biggest joy of the life. Just then, out of sudden, Balto was on the edge of the cliff and much to Steele's pleasure, he was hanging on the edge, making the malamute below to widen his eyes out of the cruelty. That moment was finally coming and now no one could save the "lobo", not even after spotting the black female husky, his mate, Shira, bearing her claws out.

"Come on, come on, Shira! You can do this! End the life of that mutt once and FOR ALL!" Steele almost yelled that out loud. His archenemy being close to the gates of the death made Steele pant out of the murderlusting joy and malice. But before Shira was about to claw Balto's paws to cause his fall...

"MOM! NO!" The yelling was heard in the distance and that sound ended Steele's cruel panting. Just as he was going to have the biggest victory of his life, it all stopped. From the malice, Steele's face turned into furious as he knew whose voice that was - Tayer's! Hoping that Shira was going to repel him as usual, Steele just said: "What are you waiting for?! Finish him!"

But Shira didn't do what Steele was hoping for. Hearing more voices in the distance, he watched how Shira's furious look was turning into a nervous and emotional one. Instead of focusing on her mission, Shira suddenly got the emotional breakdown and the tears were streaming down her face. Looking with her teary eyes towards Balto, she looked behind few times before... grabbing Balto by his neck scruff and pulling him to the safety!

"NOOOOOO! SHIRA!" Steele yelled out of the rage, not believing that this entire moment he had been anticipating for a very long time... did not happen, just as if the plan was going to work! He could not believe it, he just could not. Long he had been awaiting to send his archenemy to his death and after being presumed dead, he believed that his family was going to finish what he could not. Slamming into the tree with the utter rage, he just could not believe that Shira helped Steele's archenemy.

After Steele was exhaling and inhaling the cold winter air out of the rage, he heard the stampede of the wolves in the distance. Leveling his head up to find where could that stampede be coming from, he saw the wolves running from the cliff above, with the fear in their eyes. These were the wolves who helped Shira and there were two of them whom he saw two days, or better to say, nights ago. Wanting to know what was happening, Steele rushed through the trees and bushes to find out.

Jumping out of the bushes, he managed to pin one of the wolves on his back after ramming him by his side. The wolf, despite looking fierce, was much, much weaker in comparison to Steele himself. He realized that pushing Steele's paws off him to run after his packmates was not going to work, he had the another paw put on his throat by Steele, who looked at the wolf with the utter disgust. He just asked this:

"What happened up there and why did Shira help the "lobo"?!"

"Who are you to ask me?!"

"WHO IS ASKING THE QUESTIONS?! ME OR YOU!? SPEAK NOW!"

"Shira has double-crossed the entire pack of ours, telling us that if we help her in finishing the mutt called Bolto... or Balto... I don't know! That she is going to reward us! She had him and as she was going to throw he mutt off the cliff, her little pup Tayer came in the last moment!"

"WHAT DID HE WANT?!" Steele yelled at the wolf in the rage that was at the peak of the boiling. His youngest son being alive despite his hopes for him to freeze to death... He should have found him and punished him instead.

"He came with some of the companions, mostly red and gray. There were three others, one small and purple, one fat and brown, one skinny and yellow! Tayer, Teyer... I don't really know his name! He said something to Shira, about the story of the medicine and saving humans with the help of these three others! Suddenly, she started crying and saved that mutt, then she turned on us and more of our enemies attacked, so that's why we are running away!"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Steele hissed and spat on the wolf's face as he was released from Steele's tight grip, following the scent of his packmates. Looking at the cliff where Shira was, Steele was now panting as the rage inside him was boiling out of the control. He couldn't have taken it anymore, he just growled loudly as it echoed for miles and miles. The enite mission to have his archenemy killed... failed. But it wasn't Balto whom he had in mind, but...

"Wait till that bugger Tayer sees me! I AM GOING TO MAKE HIM PAY FOR THIS!" Steele yelled in the anger, seeing how his youngest pup destroyed everything. Now his entire family was on Balto's side. As Steele sat on the spot for like it seemed for hours, Steele's eyes were getting reddish as he had one thing in mind - finish Tayer off first! But for now... he needed some break... and decided to move on with his current goal later on...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: (Not) Welcome Home

To have his plan of getting rid of Balto by the means of using his family and have it ruined because of his youngest son Tayer, that managed to infuriate Steele so hard that he no longer desired to remove his archenemy from the past. Instead, due to his diabolical and insane nature, Steele desired to remove none other else than his son. All he needed was a plan to be devised. It didn't matter to him where, even if the others see him. Then he would move with his primary goal.

Steele found a shelter in the cave stretching just above Nome. There he could have noticed his entire family, but it was not how he desired. Instead of finishing "lobo" off for good in his favor and respect him "post-humously", they were no longer on his side. They were on Balto's side, with Balto forgiving them. After all this time that he had managed to hold them with the grip of his influence, it was no more. He was all alone on this mission and he was ready to do it, or die trying.

As his new goal was to remove Tayer for destroying his entire plan, he had decided to wait for a proper day, the day that could be the proudest day of Tayer's life. And speaking of the pride, Tayer was a member of Dingo's team, being the youngest sled-dog in the history of sled-dogs. Dingo's team and Kodi's team were having a final race of the year, determining the winner of the season. They had shown that they were the fastest since both Kodi and Dingo were sons of Balto.

It was the dawn of the day... the day Steele decided to make his move. Standing on the top of the cliff above Nome, he waited and waited for both Kodi and Dingo's teams to return to Nome. Checking his strength and skills, also looking how sharp his teeth and claws were, this was the day when he was going to remove two of the dogs that costed him everything. Still being wretched by his egoism and arrogance, he pushed deeper into the pool of it. Suddenly, he could have heard a gun-fire in the distance.

"Aaaaaahhh! Who's there!?" Steele got startled upon the blast in the sky, looking at it and it was nothing else but a flare, descending down. He recalled what that flare meant. Turning his look towards the east, he saw two long spots moving in the distance towards the town - sled teams. As he knew the drill of flares, Steele grinned with his diabolical smile and widened his eyes, awaiting for someone to come. Then, as the minutes went on as the seconds, Steele rubbed his claws against the rock, snarling: "You are definitely going to see this, when I turn off your lights, prick."

The last two flares were blasted in the sky and both teams managed to enter the town at the same time. Then, after a minute, the cheering could have been heard from the town and moving his position from the cliffs, Steele spotted from above on the Main Street that Dingo's team had taken the victory. How did Steele know that? It was obvious that Kodi's team had no black dogs in it, whereas Dingo had one. Because this could have been the best day of Tayer's life, Steele just decided: "Enjoy your victory as much as you can, because what follows is going to be Pyrrhic victory for you."

With that in his mind, Steele checked on his weapons - claws and teeth, being in mint condition. Nodding to himself, he started descending down the cliff, silently and carefully to avoid any kind of unnecessary attention at that moment.

Meanwhile, in the town of Nome...

"Congratulations to you too, Tayer!" Dingo, the plum-red blue-eyed husky and the middle son of Balto, headed to his youngest teammate to pat him in the back in a pretty friendly way, as if Dingo was some kind of supporting mentor for his achievements. Tayer, wearing his brown sled collar and rolling on the back in the snow, panted in pride and satisfaction as he saw this day as the best day in his life.

"You know the drill, Dingo. United we stand, divided we fall!" Tayer said these words wisely, catching some of precious air in process. His teammates, who were also resting in the snow, laughed regarding his comment. But that wasn't the mocking type of the laughter, but rather a supporting type. It meant that Tayer was once again being accepted by the dogs of Nome for his actions. The actions that had managed to change the tides of crisis for good.

"Alright, team!" Dingo yelled, sitting in front all of them, looking if they were paying attention at the moment. Dana, the red-brown blue-eyed husky with the bright blue collar, being Dingo's mate, got on all of her fours and cuddled herself close to him, feeling the fresh scent of his. "We have achieved a great victory for this year, thanks to the support of all of you, but Tayer is, you must admit, a stand-out! The youngest sled-dog in the history of so and to be this fast is astonishing!"

"And furthermore, what we want to tell you is that we are hosting a party at the boiler room today!" Dana commented in the name of the entire team, with the other three members (not only Tayer), grinning in pleasant surprise. Since they had been working so hard for this final race, the party for them was going to be a pure relief and it was a rather deserving one.

"Now you take a rest and once you're ready for some of more action, we'll be getting ready! You may call your family and friends to come!" Dingo allowed to his teammates, knowing that they were completely exhausted from running for that long. A long-needed rest was necessary. Dingo and Dana were ready to spread the news to their family and relatives, with Tayer following them. His eyes were telling that he was having something to say and neither Dingo nor Dana could have ignored that.

"Hey, Tayer. I'm sure you're eager to tell Galena the news?" Dingo asked him in a really fatherly fashion. Dingo had been some kind of foster father ever since he was welcomed to Nome after saving Dingo and his team from freezing to death in the cruel coldness of Alaska and Dana was being a proper mother figure to him. Even better, their daughter Galena was his best friends and she knew the best how to comfort him. Tayer, taking Dingo's question in mind, nodded in eager happiness.

"I am, Dingo!" Tayer barked out of pride, knowing that he had nothing to fear in terms of asking. He and Galena could see each other every day without any restrictions. Even he was allowed to call her parents by names. "But I'm going to find my siblings and mom and tell them about this victory, mind you?"

"Go ahead, they are going to be proud at you!" Dana encouraged Tayer, pulling him into an embrace. She allowed him to catch her lovely scent to make sure that as long as she was with him, there was always going to be comfort for him. Dingo hugged Tayer as if he was the lost son of his, returning after the countless days, weeks, months or even years. With the young one parting and running towards the other direction, Dana allowed the tear to roll down her cheek and out of happiness, she barked: "Oh, if only he was our son, Dingo."

Meanwhile, at Tayer...

After heading into the another street on his left, Tayer was making his move towards one of the four houses in the town, in which three of them his siblings were living and in one of them his mother lived. Sighing in content, he recalled how he had managed his family to have change of hearts and how to become the friends of Balto's. All that was needed was for them to learn the true story of the lost medicine. But the question was... how it all came to be?

The reason why he was being abused by his family lied in the fact that he had sensed that Steele's version of the story of the lost medicine was too inaccurate and denied it as something that had possibly happened. In order to be silenced, Steele ordered to the others to shut him down, with him even doing the same thing. When he had finally run away after the failed first face-off against Balto, after which he had saved Dingo's team's life. For his heroic actions, as he was unknown by the humans, Dingo and Balto had no other choice but to accept Tayer in Nome.

There, as he was growing a strong reputation, day after day passing, he got there to learn the real version of the story of the lost medicine. Balto was indeed a hero and his own father Steele had left the children of Nome to die from diphtheria. He wanted to tell mom this as soon as he was going to see her. Sadly, when he had let her know about Balto's version of the story, the same day Rodney had sustained a head injury, she laughed at him, because she was seeing Balto as the liar. After his brother was knocked unconscious, Tayer had no other choice but to run for it in the wild.

Just the day after, after running away from his new home, now in the wild, he was shying himself from the rest of the world. As he was thinking that there were no chances for his family to come to his senses, the miracle occurred. He heard someone's cry in the distance and there he'd spotted his friend - Galena! Not only that, but she was accompanied by two canines - the red brown one and the brownish gray one. He exactly knew who they were - Kassan and Harath respectfully, Galena's younger brothers. The excitement started filling his heart, but...

On the other side, he saw the another figure in the snow, not moving at all. Rushing to help the unfortunate one, it was none other else than Dingo, his teammate and the father of Galena. Feeling the compassion, he pulled him from the safety to the nearest cave to save him from freezing to death. At the dawn of the decisive day, when Dingo was finally awaken from the journey, he had realized that Tayer had done nothing wrong and there he had revealed him why his pups were out there - Dingo was yelling at Galena and banned her from seeing him again. Galena ran away upset and her brothers ran after her when she did. Trying not to think about that terrible accident, they headed off to find them.

Thankfully, they had found them in the forest nearby, with the brothers feeling remorse for running away, whereas Galena was as cold as the cruelty of the Alaskan's cold heart. The cold of hers warmed up when Tayer revealed himself, thus she'd forgiven her father. They decided to return to Nome and to let them know the pups and Tayer were safe and well. But as they ran to the town of Nome, they found the entire town empty of dogs, with the exception of Dingo's mentors - Nikki, Kaltag and Star, the ex-friends of Steele. There they had learnt from them that Galena was supposedly kidnapped by Shira, until she revealed herself to them. Furthermore, they explained that Shira had lured Balto and the others to the deadly trap.

Before heading to stop his mother, Tayer had learned who these three were and asked them to tell him their version of the story, believing that was going to convince Shira for good. Once they were at the battlefront, they were just in time to prevent Shira from throwing Balto to death. Her eyes were fuming in rage as soon as she saw her youngest son, but as soon as she mentioned her deceased owner Sean, she backed up and felt the river of emotions flowing in her body. Furthermore, she got to learn the true story of the lost medicine from Nikki, Kaltag and Star. Knowing that she was being used for Steele's dirty work, Shira had redeemed herself by helping Balto up. Same thing had occurred to his siblings.

Now... few weeks later, everything had changed... Shira, Taiga, Rodney and Sarah... no longer they were tormenting the youngest member of their family... no longer... as they reached Nome, the humans, who were seeking to have dogs as the company... had chosen them as their dogs... Tayer remembered the day after how all of his family members rushed into the embrace of his, seeking the forgiveness... He was nothing like Steele... nothing... He had forgiven them, as well as Balto and Jenna had... now they lived the another day like any other...

"Mom, Taiga, Rodney, Sarah..." Tayer muttered their names, except for Shira's, honoring her title as his mother, after all this time. Long he had sought to show the real light to his family, hoping for the better tomorrow of theirs. "My heart is pouncing out of pride to say how happy I am that you know the truth... after all, you're my family... all of you..."

His muttering suddenly stopped as Tayer had heard some slamming in the alley nearby. That had received his attention and he turned his head to the left, seeing a canine in there. Since it was pretty dark in the alley, he couldn't see who the canine in the alley was. Taiga's house... was just on his right, but who was in the alley on the left? The thoughts in his head mixed and thinking the answer might have been obvious, he said: "Kassan, Harath!? Is that you two?!"

He didn't mention his names in vain. Kassan and Harath were known for their prankster personalities and them hiding in the alley and pranking the other dogs was nothing out of place for Tayer or anyone else. He called for them once again, but seeing that the canine in the alley wasn't responding, Tayer shrugged with his shoulders, turning his head towards Taiga's house and then he was saying: "Well, if you aren't, then it doesn't matter! I will just go to... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He couldn't finish his sentence as when he was about to finish it, he felt that he was rammed on his side and he landed on his back in the snow rather violently. Due to the pain sustained on his side, he felt quite stunned and couldn't open his eyes for a while and his breathing was also a problem. But what he could have felt was that someone was standing above him, with one paw being held on his chest and someone was breathing in his face hard, as if that someone was in an utter rage.

"Hello... prick." A furious voice, with the mixture of satisfaction and insanity, snarled right into Tayer's face. Finally being able to suppress the stun, Tayer weakly opened his green eyes. Once he'd opened them fully, his eyes widened in an utter shock and horror as soon as he realized who was standing above him. Bigger, stronger, angrier and with blue eyes - his own father, Steele, was just standing above him. He was pressing his chest with one paw, preventing Tayer to move anywhere else.

"But... but... how is this possible?! You... you are alive?!" Tayer gagged, watching in horror as he was realizing that his own father was in fact, alive! He couldn't scream, he couldn't move... he could not believe what he was seeing. His father, standing above him, holding him tight on the ground and breathing heavily in his face. It was a nightmare-turning-real for young Tayer. "How...?"

"How I am alive is none of YOUR business!" Steele growled in rage, spitting him in the face. Tayer couldn't clean the spit off this face as the pain on his side and being pinned on the back prevented him in doing so. The question was, was he going to escape out of his nightmare?! "My business is to finish the task I should have done long ago, even after your mother and your siblings FAILED!"

"Because you HAVE NEVER treated any of us with a proper RESPECT!" Tayer stood up to him, raising his voice suddenly. However, he regretted that as Steele slapped him in the face with all his might. To add the salt to the wound, he pierced with his sharp claw across Tayer's cheek, opening the wound on it, causing Tayer to bleed on his face.

"SILENCE!" Steele growled at his own son, injuring him in face, chest and the side. His own son was trembling in horror, unable to do anything. Yet, Steele didn't feel any kind of remorse or compassion that he was hurting his own son. The tears were forming in his eyes as he watched Steele, who was raising his paw in utter madness. Steele, bearing his claws even more, noticed the tears in Tayer's eyes.

"Go ahead and cry! Your mother and siblings aren't going to save you now!" Steele grasped at Tayer, pressing him on the ground with a stronger force. The force was so strong that Tayer was literally choking because of the air being unable to get it. He watched in horror how Steele was ready to do the most diabolical thing - slit his own son's neck with his bare claws. HIS OWN SON!

"Now, I shall get rid of you, then I'm going to... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Steele couldn't finish as when he was about to take his own son's life, someone rammed him by the side with the almighty force. He landed on his side in the snow, hitting a small rock hiding in the snow. As he wasn't stunned as Tayer was before, he was able to open his eyes. He looked towards Tayer and saw that the black female husky was by his side, watching her younger brother in despair.

"You...?! YOU?!" Someone yelled right into his face, receiving a spit. Steele looked above to see who was the one who spat on his face while yelling. However, he couldn't move as someone was pinning him on his back. Despite his own strength, he felt that the strength of the one pinning him on his back was stronger than his. But he managed to see who were the ones above him. His older son Rodney and his older daughter Taiga. Both of them looked quite shocked and furious at the same time.

"Well, well, well... Taiga, Rodney... what a pleasant surprise..." Steele said with his honeyed words. But, the tone he was using did not help him at all. Instead, he was being pressed by Rodney even more enraged.

"DON'T YOU DARE TO USE THAT TONE AT US, STEELE!" Taiga yelled in her father's face, speaking his real name out loud. At the same time, she was frantic, shocked and furious as soon as she heard what Steele was doing to Tayer. Her father, also the father of Tayer, to kill his own son was the great madness! "I saw you trying to kill my brother, now you're pretending to be innocent!"

"I AM YOUR FATHER AND YOU DON'T CALL ME BY THE NAME!" Steele snarled at his daughter, who showed no fear as Steele was trying to get up. He didn't because of Rodney's strength and was forced to lay down there, watching his other daughter, Sarah, comforting her younger brother. "HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH LOBO ONCE AND FOR ALL AND TRAIN THE PRICK OF YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER?!"

"WHO ARE YOU TO HURT OUR BROTHER AND YOUR OWN SON, STEELE?!" Rodney snarled at his own father, also using his full name without any remorse. Steele tried to bite his son's paw, but both Taiga and Rodney hit him with their paws into the neck, forcing him to lay down in the ground, thus he gagged a bit. He realized that his own family was on "lobo"'s side and there was nothing he could have done with it. Rodney, keeping the paw on Steele's chest, turned around to see Sarah, holding her brother in a tight embrace and trying to clean the blood off his face. He asked his sister: "Sarah! How is Tayer?! Is he going to be okay?!"

"He is holding for now, but he needs to get to the vet!" Sarah yelled in a despair. The thought of losing her brother after tracking them to the light of their lives was a dreadful thought to even think about. As Tayer was crying from the pain, sustained by Steele, Sarah's eyes watered in panic and she started muttering to her younger brother: "Tayer, Tayer! Hold on tight! Please! We're going to help you to the vet clinic!"

"Sarah, you stay with Tayer! Rodney, go find mom, now! If possible, get Josh and Saba! Tayer must be taken to the vet clinic now!" Taiga ordered to her siblings. Since Taiga was Shira's second-in-command during their dark days, Rodney didn't object against her giving him a command but did what she had told him. Taiga held Steele on the ground tight as Rodney rushed to their mother and to Josh and Saba. Josh was the red Siberian husky from the town of Anchorage, who moved to Nome to learn how to be a rescue dog. Saba was Balto's middle daughter, a red Siberian husky-looking wolf-dog who lived with Josh in the vet clinic, being his mate. Steele still couldn't move as Taiga was holding him tight on the ground. Sarah was comforting her brother and singing him something in hopes it'd comfort him.

"You better stay still if you want to live... Steele!" Taiga snarled at her own father. Surprisingly, despite her being risen in the wild and being much younger than her father, she had managed to develop a such strength thanks to Steele's malamute blood. In fact, her body, despite being built for a husky, contained a strength for a malamute. Steele couldn't release from his daughter's grip, but only to watch what was going to happen. He wasn't scared, but rather furious. His entire family turning against him was a true shocker for him.

Then, as the minutes went, they were as fast as the seconds... Taiga could have heard someone yelling in the distance in the utter shock and fear - it was her mother Shira. Since she was adopted, she was given a blue collar. Taiga heard her mother yelling: "Taiga! Rodney had told me that Tayer... OH MY GOODNESS! TAYER!"

Taiga watched as her mother rushed to her injured son, whose wounds were sustained by Sarah in attempt to sooth his pain. Shira dropped down in shock, holding Tayer carefully around his shoulder, yet tight at the same time. Her eyes were watering with tears as she was staring at her son, trembling as if she was feeling the unbearable cold. Embracing Tayer, Shira looked at Sarah and with her trembling voice, she asked her daughter: "Sarah! Who did this to Tayer!? Who did this to your brother!?"

"It was... him...!" Sarah muttered in fright and anger, looking at her father as he was still trapped under the might of Sarah's older sister Taiga. Shira at first wondered why Sarah was stuttering, but as soon as she saw at whom Sarah was pointing, her face changed from the shocked expression towards the furious as she moved swiftly towards her mate. Once standing above him, Steele couldn't say a word, seeing his mate and being with her after almost an year. With the anger and shock, she just screamed, spitting in Steele's face: "WHAT... HAVE... YOU... DONE... TO... MY... SON...!?"

"I gave him A LESSON for not messing up with my mission!" Steele barked at his own mate, angered by the fact that she was no longer on his side, no longer to be manipulated by him. In the flash, Shira smacked him in the face with her paw into his eye, receiving a bruise near his eye. As she was about to get berserk, Taiga stopped her mother from doing so, saying: "Mom, he deserves more than this!"

"Oh, Shira is mom to you and I'm just Steele to you!?" Steele snapped at his daughter, which he instantly regretted as Shira was face-to-face on him, having an upper paw in this situation. Steele's eyes widened in fear, for the first time in fear from his own mate. Just as she was about to unleash her wrath on Steele, while Taiga was trying to prevent her, she could have heard her son Rodney rushing with two red huskies - Saba and Josh, running just behind him. She heard him saying: "Mom! Taiga! Sarah! I have arrived with Saba and Josh!"

"Go to Tayer, mom." Taiga beckoned her to be by her son as she was in control of her father. Scoffing at her mate in anger, Shira headed to her injured son, who was dealing with the pain as he was still conscious. While Rodney moved next to sister to assist her in keeping Steele, Josh and Saba, the rescue dogs of Nome, headed to Tayer, Sarah and Shira. They wanted to see how was Tayer doing and were hoping that he wasn't suffering from some dire consequences.

"Tayer! Tayer! It's me, Josh!" Josh shook the injured dog as he was trying to get on his paws, causing Tayer to look very carefully at the two rescue dogs of Nome. His vision was just fine as he was seeing both of them coming to his aid. However, the pain, caused by the impact on the side, on the back and one the face caused him to yelp. Saba reacted first as she held him and asked: "Tayer, do you think you can move?!"

"I... I'm going to... try..." Tayer muttered in pain, trying to get on all of his fours. He succeeded in standing on all of his fours, but now the next challenge was to walk. Sarah was on his side and as Tayer made a step, he winced because of the pain by his side and fell on the ground, causing Shira to gasp in horror. Sarah got to Tayer's aid and held him as a support. Looking at the blood on his face and the impact area on Tayer's side, he told him: "Tayer, we are now taking you to the vet clinic. You're going to be safe when we get there, you hear me!? Sarah is by your side!"

"Steele... Steele is here!..." Tayer whispered in pain to both Saba and Josh, trying to let them know who there was. As Saba heard first his words, she couldn't believe at first what he was saying, still believing that Steele, the one who kidnapped her pups and her nephews and nieces one year ago, was dead. But as she looked towards Rodney and Taiga, he eyes widened in shock to see the malamute there, alive, but not well. Josh was equally shocked by that revelation. However, as they were staring at him, they could have clearly hear Sarah yelling: "Saba! Josh! My brother needs to get to the vet NOW!"

"Yes, we must go!" Saba yelled, returning to the reality. The sense of dread occurred to her as she imagined the pictures in her head - her family finding out that Steele was alive and well and that Tayer was suffering some injuries. Realizing what to do now, Saba and Josh escorted Sarah to the vet clinic, making sure Sarah was going to be safe while carrying Tayer on her back. It had taken minutes for them to get to the vet clinic and the minutes felt like hours to them, as if Tayer was going to lose the fight against the deadly illness.

Back at Shira, Rodney and Taiga, who were furiously scoffing above Steele, who couldn't do anything but to watch his mate and two of his older pups looking at him with the utter rage. Then, Shira just spoke to him, with the cold and furious voice: "You... you were alive all this time... and you used me and your pups to do the dirty work for you... to get rid of someone who's actually the savior of this town!? How could you use all of us!?"

"How could you say that I was killed in the river!? If you had at least hoped that I made it, I would have returned to you! I'd have returned to be with you and with your pups!" Steele growled at them, hoping that the tides of this problem was going to be in his favor, trying to manipulate them to switch sides to his. But, his hopes just went downhill as he mentioned that.

"Only to use all of us to keep on with the dirty work!? We have seen through the dirty lies of yours, STEELE!" Rodney yelled at his owner father and as much as he wanted to attack Rodney, he just could not. He was forced to stay on his back and was listening to his words. The words that were saying the entire truth about him. The truth he constantly tried to deny to have the tides on his own favor.

"Mom, Balto and the others have arrived!" Taiga suddenly said to her own mother, noticing that the street they were in was now full of the other canines. True to her words, Balto was indeed there, along with Jenna, as well as with Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dingo, Dana, Kodi and Dusty. They were summoned by Tayer's screaming, followed by Steele's screaming, only to finish it with Shira's screaming. Standing out of the company, Balto asked Shira, now his new friend and ally, who was busy at the moment: "Shira! Shira, what is going on in there!?"

"Balto... you're not going to believe who returned to Nome." Shira let her new friend and ally know, watching at him as if he was being some kind of comfort to her. Raising her paw, reluctantly, she beckoned him and the others to come close. None of the nine newcomers liked what was going on nor the fact who there was. Making some space, Taiga and Rodney moved aside, keeping their father on the ground and at that moment, the newcomers gasped in shock to see who there was.

"Steele!?" Balto yelped out of surprise, seeing his tormentor and the enemy laying on the ground in front of him and the others. He was not the only one to be shocked and angered. Jenna also seemed as angry as Shira. Dingo and Dana watched in disbelief, as well as Kodi and Dusty did, yet the latter seemed quite furious. Nikki, Kaltag and Star were at the same time shocked and stark mad to see their former leader in front of them. Ever since he had ditched them in the wild, no longer these three see Steele as their friend or any kind of support. Seeing that he was still being held, Balto just said: "Release him."

"Balto?! What are you...?!" Rodney asked Balto, who was also an ally to him know ever since the change of heart of his. However, seeing the strict look on Balto's face, both Taiga and Sarah let him go. Being free at last, Steele rolled on his stomach and was about to get on his fours and do his life mission - get rid of the lobo in front of him. But he could not, not that there were twelve of them surrounding him. If he had attacked him, he would have suffered terrible consequences, even the fatal ones for his life.

"What do you think you are doing, lobo?!" Steele snarled at his enemy, wondering why had Balto told to his pups to let him go. Observing the others around him, he knew that none of the dogs around was going to help him, all he could do was to stand and listen. Balto spoke with his voice, the voice that would make someone ethically weak falter: "Is this what you are keeping up with, Steele? Still pushing with his ego and not to mention, letting your family to do a dirty business for you?!"

"Shut up, you...!" Steele growled at him, but was backed up with his words as Taiga swatted him in the neck, causing him to shut up at once. Then, one of his former friends, stepped in front of him, Kaltag, the middle reddish-brown dog. The anger in his eyes was telling that ever since he'd ditched him in the wild and others, he was never going to forget that event. He spoke: "Using your family to do your dirty business... HAVE YOU NO SHAME, STEELE?! And don't you dare to be a smart-ass to three of us, because we are no longer having any business with you!..."

"Make sure you keep that in your mind!" Star, the small purple dog, stepped next to Kaltag, unintentionally interrupting his former teammate. When he said that, he felt no fear and the dreadful sense of consequences, as Steele had no longer any powers to him, Nikki and Kaltag. Even Kaltag, who seemed so annoyed by Star that he'd just smack him in head to pass out, did not do the exact thing. He felt like having to lash every single word at their former leader was just plain satisfying to listen.

"Hey, whose blood is there in the snow?!" Nikki, the fat brown dog asked, looking at the traces of the blood shining in the snow. The others looked at it, with the different reactions. The newcomers were shocked by the blood in the snow, Taiga, Rodney and Shira were distressed by that and Steele was just looking at there, showing no emotions whatsoever. He just spoke, as if the satisfaction was under his tone: "If you really want to know, it belongs to the prick called Tayer."

"NOOO!" Dana screamed in horror as soon as these words came to her. Ever since Tayer was welcomed to Nome months and months ago, Dana was some kind of foster mother to Tayer, feeling sorry that he received no mother love at that time. She cuddled herself close to her mate Dingo, holding him as tight as if she was clinging on the cliff for her dear life. Dingo's eyes were filled with horror upon hearing that statement.

Quick as flash, as Steele wasn't paying attention at the moment, he was pounced and ended up rolling on his back. This time, it was Dingo who was standing above him, with a rage in his eyes that seemed like as if Dingo was not a dog, but a wolf at that moment. Even he had a wolf blood flowing in his veins, and he was exceptionally fast dog. Even that he didn't welcome Tayer at first when he moved to Nome, he did feel a genuine fatherly care towards the miserable young dog. As Dingo bared his claws, he yelled: "WHERE IS TAYER NOW!? HE BETTER BE ALIVE OR ELSE!"

"Dingo! DINGO! Tayer is in the vet clinic! Saba, Josh and Sarah are taking care of him!" Taiga alerted the sled dog. As much as she wanted to beat the life out of her father, she just could not see the one who was good in the heart to take the life away from her father. Seeing in what kind of rage Dingo was, he came back to his senses and let Steele go. Yet, he was so mad at him for hurting his young teammate and Galena's friend. What was Galena going to say about this?!

"After leaving the poor children to die, then after kidnapping the grandpups of ours one year ago, then leaving your family to kill Balto and in the end, almost killing your own son...!" The another furious voice yelled at Steele and he realized, in disgust, it was Jenna. Ever since she ditched him for good, he no longer desired to have her, but to get rid of her for good, failing every time possible. Then, despite her fury, said sternly: "Get out of our sights, Steele! After causing so much trouble to all of us, you still don't stop! GET OUT!"

"Fine, I'm going to leave! I'm going to get out of the sights of all of you! But I will let you know this - IT'S NOT OVER!" Steele barked at all of them and backed up, heading away from everyone. His diabolical and insane demeanor got him to the new level - isolation. Watching the dog that had caused so many evil deeds leave, they watched and watched until he was heading into the another street, getting out of their sights. Thus they all started calming down.

"My mom and dad are not going to like to find this out!" Dusty commented first as soon as Steele had left and the others started calming down. Her parents, Molly, the grey husky and the retired sled dog, after whom she takes the most, and Max, the dark brown husky, also retired sled dog, had the same eyes as Dusty. Both Max and Molly were fierce rivals of Steele and were the laughingstocks of him and his friends when they were protecting Balto from the harm before the fateful winter of 1925. "Kodi, Balto, Jenna, you know what kind of atrocities he was doing!"

"I'm fully aware of this, Dusty." Kodi said to his mate, saying it as calmly as possible as he had no desire to raise the voice at his mate. Her parents and his father were the victims of Steele's tormenting and they didn't want to strain each from the others. As the others looked distressed, Kodi just said: "I suggest we all head home and if possible, let the others know about this. I know it's not right, but the others must be aware."

"You're right, brother." Dingo said to his younger brother and the others nodded in an agreement, parting the ways to relieve themselves from this frightening meeting. As Dana was very distressed about Tayer being attacked, Dingo cradled her by his side, whispering: "Dana... now you go to the vet clinic and see how Tayer's doing. I shall come with our pups. I know that Galena is going to be out of herself, but she also has to know what happened. No, I'm not going to be the one I used to be last few months."

Dana looked at him with the teary eyes, feeling the terrible sense of dread... what if Tayer, for whom she cared a lot as if he was her son, wasn't rescued in time. Wiping her tears against Dingo's chest, she just muttered: "Okay, okay... let's hope Tayer is going to recover soon..." With that said, Dana parted from her mate and headed towards the vet clinic, wanting for her youngest teammate to be alive and well. When Dingo turned around to get his triplets, he knew one other thing in his mind - the final-race party was going to be delayed for good.

Back at Steele... who was now walking in the another streets of Nome... being far away from any kind of canine company possible and thinking about this encounter. He could have heard his line "IT'S NOT OVER!" repeating in loop constantly. The thing was... he had no plan whatsoever to deal with his foe(s) nor how he was going to get rid of his son. Mixed by the insanity, diabolic and isolation in himself... he was wondering... what was the point of moving on in his life as there was no one, but absolutely no one who loved him...

"Steele?! Could it be...?!" A male voice called for Steele, who as soon as he heard someone calling him, looked around. He was hoping that someone weak was around so he could lash out his anger at that someone. But... the voice that called him wasn't a dog or any canine at all... it was a human, kneeling in front of him. The human put his hand below Steele's chin and even Steele was wondering what the human was doing. Was that human someone who adored him or...?

"My goodness, Steele! What happened to you?!" The another human shouted as soon as he saw the once-popular canine on the street, running to him. He passed through his body where the old wounds were stained at his side and with his hand, he could have held a handful of Steele's hanging skin on his stomach. Steele was puzzled and nervous about more humans coming and surrounding him. "Look at yourself, Steele! No one has seen you in years and you suddenly return home! You're so skinny, wounded and possibly ill!"

Being surrounded by the humans and given the compassion from them, Steele was only able to express the confusion and fright as he hadn't been in contact with humans before. He didn't react how people were calling him "skinny" or "ill", nor he felt satisfied by it. He just wanted to get out of there and run away as fast as possible. This kind of companion was just making him uncomfortable.

Then, one of the humans raised him from the ground and carried him in his arms. Steele didn't resist at that nor felt any comfort at first. Being held and cared by humans just had him confused and frightened, considering the fact that he was once the top dog of this town. Now that he was starting to question his existence... he was being taken care of these humans, unaware that he was the one who was responsible for leaving their children to die.

The human who was holding Steele in his arms looked at the others around him and spoke: "Since Steele's former musher has already the entire new team, led by the newly-victorious Dingo, I don't think he can afford having Steele with him. How about I keep Steele now and take care of him? He looks so ill in this state!" The other humans around were just nodding in approval, knowing that the one who was carrying Steele was good at looking after dogs and even looked like as if he wanted a dog for himself.

"Take him home first, then call John to help him." One of the humans recommended to Steele's new owner. John was the young vet living in the town of Nome, coming from Anchorage and being Josh's original owner, now being Saba's owner too. He had managed to score a high reputation for his dedication towards the career he polished by helping the poor, weak and ill animals in Nome, with the help of Saba and Josh, saving numerous lives.

Steele's new owner nodded in an agreement as he walked towards his house, which was the exact same house in front of Steele. As the human had no dog bed at the moment, he had decided to put Steele on the sofa in the living room, just in front of the fireplace to provide him some warmth. He stroked Steele by the head and assured him with the following words: "Steele boy, you just rest in here. I'm going to bring you the man who can give you some help. Maybe you can meet his dogs too."

"His dogs? Yeah, right!" Steele scoffed deep inside himself as his new owner was getting outside. His nervous face turned into the disgust as soon as he realized that lobo's daughter and her mate were going to come. Oh how much he desired to unleash his anger on them for being lobo's family and supporting Tayer for causing the mission of his to fail. Watching the fire in the fireplace just sparkled his anger deeper and deeper, with the water of rage fuming deep inside himself.

As the minutes seemed as long as the seconds, Steele's new owner had managed to return with the town's vet, John. However, neither Saba nor Josh were with him and John's face looked like as if he was genuinely surprised by going by himself here, commenting: "It's strange that neither of my dogs came with me on this case. I swear I could have heard Josh growling when I asked him to come. He doesn't do that normally." Steele just sighed carelessly, feeling glad that he wasn't going to receive the help from his foe's family.

"Just... I hope I didn't disturb you on your latest case when I have arrived to the vet clinic. Poor Tayer... his team scored the victory of this season... only to be beaten by some dog out there..." Steele's owner apologized to John, because few minutes ago, he had rushed to the vet clinic, only to see John covering Tayer under the blanket in some kind of basket. Not even him could have believed that a victorious dog would have sustained these kinds of injuries."

"Of course you didn't, no worries." John shrugged that situation off. It took him only few minutes to work on Tayer's case, covering his wounds and adding two stitches on Tayer's cheek, from where it was bleeding. He had put him some kind of soothing ice pillow to cover the bruise on his side and put him in the basket. Before leaving, Sarah was there, laying next to Tayer's bed and she was not the only one who was going to visit the poor young dog. Returning to the current situation, John had asked: "And where is Steele, the dog you took in?"

"Steele's on the sofa, resting." Steele's owner led him to the sofa where Steele was laying on his side and staring into the fire. John put his vet bag on the floor and took the matters in his own hands. He carefully examined the scars on Steele's torso, checked the hanging skin on his stomach, checked his eyes and teeth, with some unbelievable results, being skinny the most prominent of them all. In the matter of the minutes, that seemed like the hours now, John was finished.

"Well?" Steele's owner finally asked, hoping that Steele was not going to be put into the sleep despite his weakened condition. John's face didn't say a thing regarding the case. He just raised his eyebrows and commented: "Mr. Hedison, Steele's condition is really bad by my estimations. However, I still believe he can be saved from being put into the deep sleep. He needs some kind of home therapy - such as receiving more food, doing no hard exercise, drinking a lot of water and being outside for only few minutes. In the matter of the weeks, he's going to be fine again.

"Can he be a sled dog... despite his age?" Mr. Hedison asked John, hoping that Steele's reputation might have been reestablished. However, John shook with his head in the disappointment, the kind of the disappointment that followed after the attempt of reviving the last hopes possible, only to fail in the last moment. He just said: "I'm afraid Steele is no longer capable for being a sled dog. The wounds and the illness in the wild could have possibly degraded his physical health."

"I shall keep that in mind." Mr. Hedison agreed on that statement, being disappointed that Steele was no longer going to be able to be a sled dog. Still, he was his dog now and decided to keep him as a pet instead of ditching him. Out of the compassion, he couldn't have left the poor dog, as in his eyes, on the harsh cold out there. After paying the bill for the home check-up, Mr. Hedison walked John back to the door and greeted him off. Closing the doors behind, Mr. Hedison walked to his new dog, cuddling him carefully behind his ears and commenting: "I may have expected too much from all this, but I shall keep you as my dog, Steele. You look pretty miserable at this point."

"As if I need any kind of support or comfort at any moment!" Steele thought deep inside himself, finding Mr. Henderson's hospitality rather useless. Still, as he was isolated from the other dogs in the town, he could do nothing else but to rest on the comfortable cushion behind him, thinking what was the point of his sole existence by now. All he hoped was not to be in contact with anyone else anymore, but to stay alone... alone forever... how he desired a lot from then on...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The White Wolf

The rehabilitation... based solely on the large proportions of dog food, gallons of fresh water and spending only few minutes a day on the open... was the therapy for Steele, whose health conditions had been degrading ever since living in the wild. His new owner in Nome, Mr. Hedison, being the lover of dogs, but being unable to have one, had his chance at last to be the owner of once top dog of Nome. He was working on well to bring Steele back to the health in any way possible.

For weeks Steele had been passing through this home therapy, but the weeks seemed as long as the months. Eating, drinking, resting and chilling outside was something he had been doing for three to four weeks routinely. Even if he didn't enjoy, he never objected doing the therapy, because now that he could not do any of his life tasks he desired to do... he was rather emotionless about all of this. Watching the days pass by as long as the weeks, he started to question one thing about himself... his existentialism.

He was isolated from the other canines out there in Nome, having no friends to hang out with nor he was able to be with his family, who was no longer on his side. He didn't care anymore, he just did not as they were on Balto's side. The dogs in Nome behaved as if Steele didn't exist, but rather moved on as every day possible. No affection came from him or towards him and he was just fine with that, or at least it seemed so to him.

The only affection he could have been given from was none other else than his owner Mr. Hedison, eventually the friends of his owner. They were still unaware about Steele's crime from the past and were rather caring for the wounded and an ill malamute, lost in the wild for years. Even that Steele found his new owner's hospitality useless, he did seem to give some affection back to him, yet the affection he had been giving seemed rather bland and as if it was... just there to be given.

Speaking of the other dogs, even that they were avoiding Steele or pretending he wasn't existing, there were some dogs who were destroying his isolation and solace. These dogs weren't actually his family or Balto's family, but the dogs that had no family relations with Balto, which meant Nikki, Kaltag and Star were the ones who were lashing their anger at him. Eventually, the two gossips Steele knew from the past, Dixie, the purple Pomerian and her friend, Sylvie, the tan-colored Afghan hound, were the ones who used that opportunity.

"Just look at him, spending the time in his den and what else? Maybe he tries to make some kind of dastardly plan on all on us?!" Star mocked his former teammate, who was resting in the house and ignoring their presence, not wanting to have anyone by his side but Mr. Hedison. If only Mr. Hedison was a dog... His thoughts were broken as the laughter from the dogs outside made him snap back into the reality and he scoffed upon that. Why couldn't just do him a favor and at least pretend he was non-existing?

About his family... Tayer was released just two days after their encounter. He only suffered the minor injuries and was capable of walking, even still being a part of the sled team. Only thing that was different about him was that on his left cheek, there was a line visible below his eye... Steele scarring him, though as it was fading, the mark was going to remain there. Some scars just weren't meant to fade, but to remain, as the event of what had happened. Tayer's friend and Dingo's daughter Galena was visually upset upon hearing the news. Still, she still loved Tayer like she did before. His entire family was living in prosperity, pretending Steele didn't exist. Though, the scar on Tayer's cheek had to make them realize Steele was real.

Then, after a three and a half weeks of the home therapy... that morning in Mr. Hedison's house... Steele was sleeping on his side in the bed. The bed was made out of the basket and the worn out cushion and the worn out blanket. At least that was some kind of comfort. Steele's health had gradually improved - the scars were no longer visible on his body. The skin was no longer hanging off his torso and he regained his strength and speed back - but he knew one thing and that was that he was not going to be as strong and as fast as he used to be.

The rumbling in the house caused the freshly-recovered malamute to wake up, only to see his owner, Mr. Hedison, holding a bowl in his hands. Walking to Steele, as if he was like any other dog, Mr. Hedison put the bowl full of dog food near his basket, stroked him by his head and said: "Come on, Steele boy. Eat your breakfast and we're going to have a true walk outside once you're done."

The sole idea of going outside for a walk had Steele feeling quite split with the two choices ahead of him - Mr. Hedison was the only one who had been giving him all the comfort and affection for the last few weeks. If he was sticking around him, that'd make him feel safe. However, as he was isolated from the canine community, Steele let out a silent cringe as soon as he realized that there might be other dogs out there, doing something to him.

"Come on, boy. Help yourself." Mr. Hedison nudged his dog to eat, wanting to have a healthy one completely. Knowing that he had no other choices, Steele just thought to himself: "If only I could stay away from any dog out there.". Then he moved on with his breakfast, which was one of the rare things that made him pleased as the wild animal prey was making him sick eating it for the last few years. As soon as he was done, Mr. Hedison beckoned to Steele to come, with Steele accepting, as if he had no other choices.

"Let's go. I don't think I'll need any leash." Mr Hedison led Steele outside, opening the doors, with the dog doors swinging as the doors were widely opened. Mr. Hedison had these dog doors installed not long ago, so Steele could go out by himself and come back in by himself again. Once in the open, Mr. Hedison whistled to Steele to follow him. Steele watched as he was now on the streets of his birthplace, feeling like a stranger in there.

"I'm sure that if we come across the dogs out there, no problems will be happening." Mr. Hedison spoke to his dog, wondering whether Steele was good with the dogs of Nome or not, knowing that he was living in the wild for some time. Steele, however, wished that he was not going to come across any dog out here, but be done with the walk as soon as possible and get home. Unfortunately for him, the wish went downhill as soon as he heard someone's whisper - It must have been coming from Dixie and Sylvie nearby.

"Looks like the disposable mutt out there is out with his "dear" owner." Dixie stated out mockingly with her friend Sylvie, as they both were watching Steele walk down the street, who was just doing his best to ignore these two gossips. Previously, he was literally adored by them and he was their role model - now he was nothing else but a laughing stock for them both and the subject of their everyday gossips. Sylvie scoffed mockingly, saying: "Who knows what kind of scars he's going to give to the next dog he sees!"

"Pathetic gossips!" Steele thought to himself madly, detesting the two dogs that were once his biggest admirers. Since he had no clue what to do anymore nor he could push with his life duties, Steele just felt like some kind of an odd dog that should be out for good. Walking with his owner and getting closer to the beach, he had managed to have a quick glance at the two dogs resting nearby - and immediately he growled angrily as he knew who these two dogs were - the dark brown one and the gray one were Max and Molly respectively - his fierce rivals and the friends of Balto before Steele got repelled from his birthplace.

"Here goes Steele - the one who had caused so much trouble to both of us, Balto and Jenna." Max whispered to Molly as they were both watching Steele heading with Mr. Hedison on the beach, no longer being a top dog of the sled team, but a family dog now, with the frustrating reality he was facing. Both Max and Molly were detesting Steele for his cruel behavior towards the "non-pure" dogs, now he was the one who was tasting the bitter of his own behavior. Molly looked at him sternly and just muttered: "And what has he been doing lately? Recovering home?"

"As if I need these two talking about me now!" Steele hissed in anger once again, showing more or less the hatred towards these two dogs, who, along with Jenna, were the first friends Balto ever had. Now they were openly supporting Balto, along with the entire town. Then, he just remembered the old days of his glory - along with his admirers was Max's younger sister Audrey! The dark brown female with the patch on her nose, who had a rocky relationship with her older brother. Thinking in the utter disgust that the sibling of his fierce rival had a crush on him, he spat on the ground, trying to get rid of that gross thought in his head. Hearing the waves in the distance flowing, Mr. Hedison and Steele were now on the beach.

"Alright, Steele boy, if you think you are ready, I shall let you run on the beach." Mr. Hedison told Steele, being confident enough that after the three and a half weeks, Steele had managed to recover in a short period. Steele looked at his owner and not having anything to do, he did start running a bit, but if he tried to run too fast, he'd feel some kind of pinching in his body, letting him know that he still needed some recovery till he was fully ready to run at full speed. Though, he knew that he was never going to be a sled dog again.

"It seems that you should take it easy for some time, Steele." Mr. Hedison let him know, as he was continuing to walk down the beach. What was in front of them was the old boat and Steele growled, knowing that boat was the same one Balto was living. What is Mr. Hedison going to say? Steele knew exactly what - he was going to shower Balto with constant praises for every heroic deed he had done since the winter 1925. Then, he heard some kind of movement on the boat and with his instincts, he was hearing the pawsteps.

In the matter of the seconds, not one canine showed on the deck, but two of them. However, neither of them was Balto. Sure, one of them was a wolf-dog, a female one. Wearing a bright blue bandanna around her neck, it was none other else than Aleu, Balto's oldest pup. The other canine was Kenai, the brown male pure wolf, standing next to Aleu. As they heard someone coming, they took a look at Mr. Hedison and at Steele. Both of them smirked in disgust as they knew who Steele was and were wondering what was he doing there, near their boat?

"Oh look, if Mr. Hedison spots these wolves on the boat... he may call the hunters to... get rid of them!" Steele watched at Aleu and Kenai with anger, but at the same time, the diabolical satisfaction was hiding under his angry face. Noticing that Steele was standing still on the beach and was watching at Aleu and Kenai, hoping that Mr. Hedison was going to notice the two wolves on the beach and alert the hunters. Much to his fortune, Steele watched as Mr. Hedison was turning his head towards the boat and there he could have spotted two wolves on it.

But... instead of the expectations he had been expecting to alert the hunters... Mr. Hedison briefly smiled at the two wolves, stroking Steele by his head and commenting: "Oh, Steele. Check these two wolves out. Both of them must be Balto's family members. Because of so, we have decided to let them live instead of shooting them down. Guess why, boy? The brown one... not sure if he has a name... helped Balto find the puppies one year ago! And look, you seem to be brave when it comes to the wolves!"

Listening to what his owner was saying, Steele looked at him with the eyes widened and the jaw dropped in the utter shock. The wolves on the beach and they were letting them live?! He felt like as if he was doing on a hard mission of his life to establish the peace for the community... only to find out in the bitter disappointment that the rules had changed and that the non-pure ones were respected for the deeds they had committed. He felt like as if the water of the bitter disappointment flushed throughout his body. Looking at Mr. Hedison, who was surpassing the beach, he just followed him, trying to get out of his head what was his owner saying.

"This all feels like a betrayal!" Steele whispered under the scoff he let out as he was heading away from the boat. Then, he just remembered how Mr. Hedison was saying that Kenai was the town hero for saving the puppies one year ago. The same puppies Steele had kidnapped, along with Niju, to get revenge on Balto and Aleu respectively, only to end up in Niju's demise and him almost getting killed in that blasted river. "It seems that the purebred dogs are no longer to be welcome in the future..."

"Hey, boy! Look who is there!" Mr. Hedison called on Steele as he was just few meters behind him. Steele, at first reluctant, decided to do what Mr. Hedison was saying, because what was the purpose of his life anyways now that he was being loathed and isolated from the canine community. He just looked up the hill, where the forest was behind it. At first, he couldn't see anyone, but as he noticed the movement behind the trees, now he could have spotted some figures coming.

"Now there will be few wolves coming, the young ones of the wolves from the beach. Since these were also kidnapped, no one had any mercy to shoot them. Can you believe what kind of the monstrosity would that be if we had?" Mr. Hedison asked Steele, as if he was some kind of human. Still, Steele wished that Mr. Hedison was the dog so there would have been at least one canine who'd provide him some friendship and affection. True to Mr. Hedison's words, some wolves had shown up on the top of the hill, keeping the distance from the human.

Observing the newcomers, Steele watched at these wolves as if they had done something unforgivable to him and he had a reason to loathe them in a retaliation. One by one, Steele was observing each of them to see who was who. The one on the far left was as sandy gray as Aleu, only that female was green eyed, Tundra being her name and the oldest pup of hers. Next one, the brown one to Tundra was a male, just like Kenai, only he had blue eyes like his mother, Akiak being his name. The third one, the gray one with apricot-colored underbelly and with green eyes... Steele recognized Denahi, because he was just few meters away from him few months ago.

Then, the one on far right... white female wolf with the exact same eyes as Aleu... Naia being her name... As soon as Steele had spotted Naia, he had a flashback... a rather frightening one. He had a flashback where he was beating Balto unconscious after he had saved the town of Nome... then, the great white wolf with golden eyes, told him to stop... he attacked the wolf in retaliation, but as if the wolf wasn't there anymore... instead, the wolf was just behind Steele... the wolf was supernatural and frightening... and that wolf was the reason why Steele ran into the exile after the town was saved.

Fearing that he was seeing that white wolf again, from his flashback, Steele raised on his rear paws and barked with a high-pitched sound in the utter shock and fear. Mr. Hedison saw Steele getting frightened out of his fur and just yelled: "Steele! STEELE! Calm down, calm DOWN!" But as Steele was barking out of fear, he landed on his back in the snow after losing the balance. Despite Naia standing there and watching him bark in fear, Steele immediately rushed to get on all on his fours, turn towards Nome and make a run for it, as if he was running for his dear life, like never before. He just ignored Mr. Hedison's yelling such as: "STEELE! STEELE, HEEL, BOY!" and proceeded to rush home as soon as possible, where he was feeling the safest in the entire town.

As quick as flash, Steele was running as fast as he could, as long as his paws weren't giving up. The pain grew in the form of pinches as he was rushing to his home. He may have seen several canines on his way, who were quite surprised by his running home. He couldn't have remembered the faces as he just wanted to be home, safe from the white wolf he had seen in the distance and in his head. Rushing at the full speed ahead, he rammed into the dog doors and ended up bending them at some angle. At least he made it home, hiding behind the sofa in the corner of the room.

The minutes were passing in the house... Steele was shivering out of the fear, catching his breath and trying to sooth the pain from inside his damaged body. The white wolf... out there... what did that white wolf want? It showed to him and out of fear, when he was winning the fight against Balto five years ago... he had to run for his life. With these thoughts flashing in his head quickly, someone was running outside and judging by the rushed steps out there... it was a human. Was Mr. Hedison coming back already?

"Steele! Where could you have gone to!?" The voice yelled out of the confusion, with Steele perking his ears above, knowing that Mr. Hedison was out there. Just as Steele was about to peek out, Mr. Hedison opened the front doors widely and noticed the damage Steele had caused to the dog doors, how they were bent from inside. Ignoring the damage on the dog doors, Mr. Hedison searched for Steele all around the house. It didn't take him too long as Steele was hiding behind the sofa and the living room was the first room in the house once being entered.

"Steele! What was that all about?!" Mr. Hedison asked his dog, and instead of being mad at Steele or something, he was just out of himself, as if he had arranged someone to do a work for him that would have been successful, but ended up being a complete failure in the last moment. Since Steele was shivering out of the fear, Mr. Hedison may have guessed that Steele could have seen something that had frightened him out of the fur. But the question was... "How come you have gotten frightened of these wolves?! You weren't that frightened with the ones on the boat that were closer!"

Steele only watched his owner and if only Mr. Hedison was a dog... but, on the other paw, maybe that would have been a bad idea. If he had told him that he was afraid of the innocent white wolf, he'd end up being nothing else but a laughingstock for being a coward in front of a young wolf. Instead, he just decided to find a medical spread in the medic box, poured some green cream in his head and said: "Come on. You have hurt yourself running, you're going to need some rest now."

Feeling at the same time the fear and as if he was going to cry... but the thing was... he couldn't remember the last time he cried... when he was a puppy? He just cuddled himself very tightly to his owner, as if he had that urge to break down in tears... but he couldn't, not that there were dogs outside and what if they were making fun of him for being a coward in front of the harmless wolf out there. Letting Mr. Hedison smear the cream around his torso, where it hurt him the most, at least he was safe in there.

The entire day for Steele went as quick as flash and his fear was gradually ceasing, thinking that white wolf he had seen out there, Naia, couldn't be really harmful. All that made him run in fright was the blasted flashback of his. Now, as the evening was catching up in the town of Nome and Mr. Hedison was getting ready to get some sleep earlier than usual. Steele was the only one in the house who was still awaken, trying to suppress that frightening feeling out of himself.

Looking at the bent dog doors, that Mr. Hedison didn't even try to fix the entire day, Steele watched from his bed out into the distance. He scoffed several times for running like a coward because of all that before. His thoughts were all like: "It was just Balto's granddaughter, not that white wolf that made me run for it... what was I thinking?!" Suddenly, as the thoughts were mixing in his head, he started to feel the urge to go out there... but why for? He started to question his urge, which kept growing and growing and as if it was pinching him to go out there... for some reason.

"Alright... I shall out there and if anyone sees me... I shall prove that I am not afraid of any white wolves!" Steele hissed to himself out of the frustration, ready to face off the perils out there, as if he was about to combat his fear and put the end of all this. Walking through the bent dog doors out of the house, Steele was on the cold air of the streets of the town of Nome, with the snow falling quietly and slowly. Perking with his ears around the streets of Nome, he was wondering whoever might be out there.

"Now... if there is someone... I challenge you to come at ME! I am not afraid of you and the white wolves!" Steele yelled out to anyone who would have been out there... but the question was... was anyone else out there? It was nighttime and the houses in the distance and nearby were having their lights out. Now what... did this isolation furthermore encored his insanity? Did he finally lost his mind and started yelling to someone who wasn't there?

"But you ARE afraid of the truth you cannot accept..." The deep, female voice whispered into the wind that was blowing in the town. The voice was deep enough to make Steele start shivering in fear again, with the chills tingling down his spine. Steele frantically looked around himself, wondering whether it was just the wind blowing in the distance or someone talking to him. Gulping the spit inside him, he just yelled to prove he was no coward: "WHO ARE YOU TO MAKE ME LOOK A COWARD?!"

"I am behind you." The voice spoke to him, sounding deep and chilling, that Steele got the another spine-tingling chills down his spine. He turned around, hoping it was just a stupid prank from the other dogs to make him look like a scaredy-dog. Instead... it wasn't. In the dark, he could have seen a tall, white and furred canine walking towards his direction. It was a wolf! An extraordinarily tall wolf and it was a female, whispering something with the similar voice he had heard earlier before.

"No... No...! NO!" Steele looked at the wolf in the distance, as if he was experiencing the worst nightmare of his life... but this was not a nightmare... it was the reality. Trotting backwards from the white wolf, slowly heading towards him, Steele made the immediate sharp turn and rushed into the nearest alley, without even thinking to return to his house. What was he thinking?! He could have run to his house, alerted Mr. Hedison and sent the alarm... unless that wolf was good with the humans of the wolves... As narrow as the alley was, Steele stopped in the dead end, holding himself very close to the wall in the distance. Was he safe? Was he going to wait for Mr. Hedison to find him as that white wolf might have been staying there for some time.

The white wolf showed himself on the entrance of the alley, staring at Steele with the spine-chilling deep into him. Then, just as Steele hoped that the white wolf was going to leave, because she was too narrow to pass through, that didn't happen. The white wolf started walking into the alley and as if she was passing through the alley without any difficulties. Steele couldn't do anything but to watch his biggest fear of his life walking towards him. Being trapped in the alley, laying on his back into the snow and watching the white wolf standing above him... what he was going to do...?

Then, he remembered. He remembered that ever since he had been adopted by Mr. Hedison, Steele was being isolated from every other canine in this town, without any goals to accomplish in his life. He couldn't have done anything in his life, nothing that he was been planning was even going to happen. His life, being questioned by himself, and the existence as well, Steele just gulped, looked into the white wolf's eyes and whispered: "If you have come to take my life... do it... Just do IT! My life has no longer a purpose and no one even cares if I AM GONE!"

"No." The whisper from the white wolf was coming out of her mouth. Steele, wanting to end his life once and for all, being driven to the isolation and madness for the last few months, had his offer rejected. If the white wolf, his life's greatest fear, was not going to end his life, then what was she doing here? Was she going to torture him further to the madness or what? "I have not come to take your life away, Steele."

Saying his name out loud, Steele gasped out of the astonishment. The white wolf knowing his name... was she following him in the shadows during his exile all this time? The questions were rambling in his mind, but were stopped as soon as the white wolf spoke to him: "I was that wolf whom you were escaping from after you have hurt my son... several years ago. You were hurting Balto just because you couldn't have abandoned your past."

The white wolf... Balto's mother?! Since he had done so much harm to her son, then why she was not going to punish him? What was she trying to do with him? Was she going to torture him in the worst way possible? Her eyes started to glow brightly... in the dark alley... Noticing the odd sensation in his body, Steele started to gasp in astonishment, wondering what she was about to do? He had to ask Balto's mother: "What are you doing to ME?!"

"I, Aniu, am going to lead you through the life... the life that could have been had you abandoned your past... and moved to the future..." Aniu whispered with her chilling voice to Steele and in the matter on the moments, he blinked. Once opening his eyes... he was no longer in the dark alley of Nome... but somewhere else... was he in Nome? And since when did the night shift into the day? The main question was... what was going around with Steele, being with Aniu?

"What is this place?! Where am I?" Steele observed the street he was in, bathed in the sunlight and with the snow on the ground. Aniu just watched him silently and let him recognize the town he was now in her vision. Looking at the houses, streets, landscape surrounding the town and beyond... there he managed to spot the snowy mountain above. He found out where he was now - the town of White Mountain.

"White Mountain? But why...?" Steele asked Aniu after her had managed to recognize the town he was in. It was the town that served as the another end of the mail service for the sled dogs of the town of Nome. The place itself seemed quite lively and as if there was going to be a great parade in the town itself. After watching him in a silence for minutes, Aniu spoke with her voice, being deep and chilling as the cold wind of the Alaskan wildlife: "This shows... what could it have been if you have let your past go..."

"Steele! Come, boy!" The male voice, completely new and unknown to Steele, could have been heard in the distance. Triggered by that, Steele looked around to see who was the human who called him. Soon or later, he had seen one, walking down the street... that human was not Mr. Hedison, as his looks were completely different than Mr. Hedison's. But that was not what had Steele astonished... it was a canine who was following the human with the eager happiness. The canine was...

"Do I see myself?!" Steele gasped in astonishment as he had seen no one else than himself, happily following the human! Wondering what he could do, Steele made a few steps in front and barked to human two or three times. But... neither human nor himself from this vision... were able to see him, as if he was not there! Taking a better look at himself, Steele was really surprised that his ego from this vision was different in the terms of personality and physical looks.

This Steele... or his ego from the vision... was not scarred on his torso nor his skin was hanging from his stomach. He was looking just fine and his fur looked so groomed and polished to the tiniest bit that any perfectionist would please. Also, the happy look on the ego of the vision, as if he could have felt what his ego was feeling... he was not faking to be happy, but was genuinely happy while following the human, his owner supposedly. He was feeling odd, with some kind of happy sensation bathing the entire interior of his body.

"Come with me, Steele. There is something you are not going to believe with your eyes." Aniu finally broke the silence with her chilling voice, looking at Steele, the one from reality, as if she was trying to tell him to move at once. Steele, being astonished to look at his ego happily following his owner in this town, walked faster and faster while making his way to the house they were going to go. He still could not understand what was this all about.

Suddenly, Steele from the vision and his owner stopped on their tracks in front of the peculiar house, whereas the real Steele and Aniu were just standing in front of them. Hearing the bark from his vision ego, who sat after the owner pointed with his finger up, and the real Steele was feeling the exact same thing as his vision ego. Then, his owner spoke, and what he said made the real Steele widen his eyes and drop his jaw in the utter surprise. What he said was: "Okay, Steele. We shall see if Shira is home and if she is, I shall let you be with her and your puppies."

When his vision ego barked for the second time, the real Steele was now properly connecting the dots of the vision he was being in... this was something in the supposed past that could have happen... if he was not dragging his blasted ego and the past with himself... This vision... this could have happened and he thought to himself... this would have him portrayed as the malamute who left Nome and sought the solace in Shira once arriving to White Mountain... confessing his evil deeds because of his wretched ego... There he and Shira would be the loving couple and their pups would have been the pups with the best parents in the entire Alaska...

With these thoughts flowing in his head, the thoughts of the past that could have happened... he had seen his owner knocking on the doors of the house. In the matter of the seconds... the doors opened and it revealed a small kid opening them... The kid couldn't have been older than the age of eight. When he saw the guest on the doors of his house, Steele could have seen the smile on the face of the young boy.

"Hello, Sean!" The man greeted the kid cheerfully, patting the young one by his bright brown hair, with Sean just laughing. The two adults were seen behind Sean and judging by the cheerful faces on them both, those could have been the parents of Sean, which would mean that the owner of his vision ego was either the family friend or a relative of theirs. Crouching down of the ground to have a better look on the young Sean, the man asked him a question: "Is your dog Shira doing well? I was wondering if Steele may be able to see her, and their puppies."

"Shira is doing pretty well!" Sean exclaimed cheerfully towards the man, treating him as if the man was the good friend of his parents, or even a relative of his. His vision ego, who was sitting behind the owner, smiled widely and cheerfully as he was about to spend time with his mate and their puppies. While looking at his ego raising on all of his fours in excitement, he managed to hear some voices as if they were trying to say: "Come in, Steele! Come in!"

"I shall let you see by yourself." Aniu spoke with the chilling voice of hers again, raising her paw to let Steele go into the house with his vision ego. More he spent in this vision, more he realized that this past was the one he could have had if he hadn't been thinking on himself. Wasting no time, Steele rushed with a such astonishing speed into the house, along with his vision ego and his owner. As no one was able to see him, he just went through them and even through the house. He realized that he could have went in patiently.

Once in the house where his vision ego was, it was a rather modest and a shabby place to live in a White Mountain. The interiors were being as colorful as any other colorful interior of Alaskan homes. Suddenly, he had heard a female voice coming from the another room... and then... the stirring. Being able to feel the same thing as his ego, Steele was experiencing the joy he had never expected. Both of them were able to hear: "Steele, my sweetheart? Is that you?!" Only to be followed by the four tiny and excited voices echoing the same thing: "DADDY IS HERE! DADDY IS HERE!"

Much to the expectation and the joy of the vision Steele and to the astonishment of the real Steele... both of them looked at the black female husky coming towards them from the another room. It was Shira, it just had to be her - black fur, emerald green eyes and white underbelly... no blue collar around her neck. Her face was not showing the awe and the fear, but the joy and the excitement - rushing to nuzzle her mate by his chest. Just as Steele could have expected - it was the vision Steele she was nuzzling there.

Then, the four black balls of fur, ran into the room out of the excitement. None of them were showing the fear and the awe, but were as joyful and as excited as Shira was. Looking at one by one, he could have recognized each of them, just like in the reality - Taiga, being the spit image of her father, only female; Rodney, having the exceptional brown eyes differing from the others; Sarah - looking like her mother, but with ocean blue eyes; and Tayer, having the unique looks in the family, much to the surprise of the real Steele.

He watched his vision ego rolling on the floor like a big puppy and was wagging with his tail happily, oozing the indescribable joy. It was not the arrogant and the murderlusting joy Steele had been oozing for the long time, but the genuine joy. He could have seen Shira holding his vision ego by the shoulders so the four puppies could jump on Steele's stomach. As they did, the vision Steele was laughing and laughing in joy as the puppies were tickling him and Shira was licking his forehead, adding the joy on his face.

"What could it have been... what could it have been..." These words were echoing in real Steele's head, the words that Aniu had spoken to him earlier. The echoes were getting intense and more intense they were, Steele was slowly coming to his senses... if this had happened, Steele would have been having a wonderful family life with their puppies and none of them would have been afraid of him, but would have been very loving towards him, as much as he would have been.

Looking once again at his vision ego, he could have spotted the puppy Tayer rolling on his back in front of vision Steele and giggling like an innocent puppy. While the other puppies were giggling and jumping on Steele's back, neck or head, Steele used his opportunity to nuzzle Tayer's belly with his nose, making the youngest black ball of fur laugh out loud, with Shira cleaning his head with her tongue. The real Steele came to realize that in this past that never happened... Tayer would have been his favorite.

Suddenly, the vision in front of his eyes was starting to fade, making everything that was bright around him... go dark. He had heard the chilling voice of Aniu, whispering the same thing as an echo: "It is time to go... It is time to go." Before Steele was able to return to the reality, he saw his vision ego having so much fun with his mate and the puppies, being genuinely caring and loving for them. Sean and his family, and also vision Steele's owner, were laughing delightfully by that scenario. In the matter of the moments, Steele blinked.

Upon opening his eyes, everything that was in the plain sight of Steele changed, yet not into something new. Instead, he was back in the dark, snowy alley behind his house, back in the town of Nome. The white wolf, Aniu, was standing there, in front of him. Her face was still giving the blank expression, yet in her eyes something could have been seen - Steele might have learned what was that vision about to him.

"That vision... that was the time... that could have happened... but never did?" Steele gasped several times as the images of the alternate timeline were scrolling in his head. Being the loving and the caring mate and the father to Shira and their pups, living a fine life without any wounds... having his wretched past removed and living the life in the present... Steele's jaw was dropped down in the utter surprise until he heard Aniu telling him: "The alternate time... yes."

That timeline... with him being entirely different... he could have done that thing... but he didn't want to let his glory go... nor he wanted to accept the fact of the bad deeds he had done... Looking at Aniu, who seemed as if she was going to tell him some kind of a valuable life lesson, he decided to let her speak. Never before he had let anyone do something before him, but this kind of urge felt... strange. Still, Aniu opened her mouth and spoke with her chilling voice: "It is all on you Steele... you have to choose whether it is the pride of yours... or your heart..."

These words bounded in his head and echoed in it... he had no choice... he could not let himself push any deeper... he had to face the truth and abandon his wretched past. If he was going to do that, is anyone going to believe him or... is anyone even going to forgive him? These questions rambled in his head as he was desperately searching for the answer. Then, out of surprise, telepathically, Aniu spoke: "Accepting the truth is the first step... The step towards the new chapter of your life... the second step is on you to discover it..."

"First step... accepting the truth." Steele repeated to himself as he was amazed by Aniu's telepathy, being able to read his mind. If it was supposed to be like that... to accept the truth, then he made a choice: He was going to make the first step towards his new life - the heart being over his own pride. Then, as the wind was getting stronger, Steele watched how Aniu was slowly fading away in the darkness and how he could have seen through her body. Being speechless about it at first, no words came out of his mouth while witnessing her departure. But before she was fully gone, Steele was able to ask her the last: "When am I supposed to make that first step?!"

"Sooner you make, closer you are to the new chapter of your life...!" Aniu whispered with her chilling voice to Steele before she was no longer seen in that alley. In fact, as if she was not there, possibly because the snow was falling and falling during this encounter. But with her being gone, the wind calmed down entirely and no snowflake was seen falling to the ground. The entire sky became clear and the moon was seen above. Watching this with the amazement, Steele was about to move on and return home, starting to feel quite relieved.

Once making a step into the snow, Steele had noticed the pawprint laying down in the snow. Aniu. It must have been hers. Large enough for a wolf, having a scent of the wolf and leaving the deep trail in it. At the same time, she was feeling real and fictional. But Steele was not insane, as she was there, in front of him, showing the vision of the past that could have happened. Trying to relieve himself furthermore, Steele was leaving the alley and heading home at once.

Making his way to the house, passing through the bent dog doors to get inside, Steele roamed in the dark of the room, searching for his basket bed, wherever it could have been. Thankfully, he had found his bed with the worn out blanket and even more worn out pillow. Covering himself with the blanket and feeling the softness of the pillow, Steele did not feel any cold up out there. He did not feel anything, but now that he was in his bed... he was feeling warm and very comfortable.

With the thoughts rambling in his head, such as seeing the visions of the past that had never happened, the encounter with Aniu, he relief inside him, the important choice of his life for good... they just kept rambling, yet he could have felt that his eyelids were heavier and heavier. Before falling asleep at last, Steele just thought to himself when he was going to make the first step and the answer was...: "Tomorrow, in the morning, I shall do it. That shall lead me to the second step, which is on me to find out!" With that decision, Steele sank into the comfortable sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: First Steps to the New Chapter of Life

The dream... it was not the regular dream for Steele... it was something he had witnessed last night... the encounter with Aniu and journey through the vision of the past that had never happened. While clearly remembering the scenes from the vision, the lines that Aniu had spoken once, with a slight chill in her voice, such as: "What could it have been...". But the most important one was this one: "Accepting the truth is the first step... The step towards the new chapter of your life... the second step is on you to discover it..." and the one saying: "Pride... or heart..."

With the lines repeating in the loop and echoing throughout everywhere, Steele had no clue about the dream going as quick as the flash and after hearing these lines all at once, he felt the shaking on his back, around his shoulders. But no one was there, it was just that someone was shaking him stronger and stronger. Then, the dream was rambling and then he realized what was happening...

"Steele, wake up!" The voice echoed as he was waking up. That was a male and a cheerful voice, belonging to his owner Mr. Hedison. Seeing that he was not feeling comfortable in that dream, he did something that he had never done - he snuggled himself very closely to Mr. Hedison, as if he was saved from the death in the last moment. Mr. Hedison stroke Steele by his back near his shoulders, wondering whether he was being afraid anymore or not. So he just commented: "Steele, boy. I don't know if you want to go out there, but if you want to, I shall let you go by yourself."

"To go by myself out?" Steele asked himself as soon as he heard Mr. Hedison's suggestion. As sleepy as he was, he was coming to his senses the best way possible. The echoes of his dreams were heard from his head, though that he was asking himself the next thing: "Aniu... the white wolf... was this all a dream? Or I have really had an encounter with her last night?"

Truth to be said, the encounter, which could have been either the dream or the reality... But he could have remembered how he was looking at Aniu. The background and everything else, the inanimate objects... looked blurry and unnatural in his eyes. That could have been the dream, but at the same time, it deemed to be quite real. With Mr. Hedison getting up and turning around to find his food bowl, to make him a breakfast, Steele decided to see whether he was dreaming or not.

Heading to the hall that was leading to the back door of the house, he saw a small window near the doors and as he could put his paws on the windowsill, he decided to raise on both of his rear paws and investigate the alley that was behind the house. Keeping his breath back to prevent the glass from blurring, he looked at the snow. Noticing the circular shapes down there, Steele realized that he was not dreaming the encounter - he was facing Aniu last night. Her large pawprint was seen in the snow, being literally three times bigger than his pawprint.

"Steele, breakfast!" Mr. Hedison yelled from the kitchen, slamming with the spoon against the metal bowl where Steele was getting his food. Coming to realize that the encounter was taking place and the fact that he decided to make the first step and the second step of his life before falling asleep... he was determined to do it... determined to abandon his pride... knowing that his ego was just destroying him, along with the past he was carrying on the back of his life. Heading to the kitchen to eat his breakfast, Mr. Hedison patted Steele by the head, letting him know that he was going to replace the dog doors soon. Strangely enough, he was no longer rejecting Mr. Hedison's affection - he was embracing it!

And for a such reason, he had the urge to go to Mr. Hedison and snuggle against him once again. His cold demeanor, cold as the thick ice cap in the ocean, was gradually melting as if it was exposed to the warm waters of the ocean. Mr. Hedison, who was surprised by Steele's repulsive and cold demeanor ever since he had adopted him, cuddled him by the head, not really being surprised, as he knew that dogs were able to share affection as well. Stroking him by his head, he just whispered: "Here, boy. Now go outside and have fun. I shall fix the doors for you."

Accepting Mr. Hedison's offer to go out there by himself was something Steele looked at as if there was some kind of the present out there, awaiting him. And as if the present was the one that he actually deserved. Getting out through the doors, through the opening where the dog doors used to be, Steele's mildly delighted face shifted into the everyday serious one, knowing that not everything was going to go in his favor. Inhaling the fresh morning air of this day, this could have been the day of his life when the things were going to change.

"The dogs are either going to be on the Main Street... or in boiler room... up to me to find out..." Steele thought to himself where could the other dogs possibly be. He was thinking whom to talk with first, considering the fact that it might be really, really risky if he was going to come across his family. He knew that his family was pretending that he was non-existent, but at the same time, the scar on Tayer's cheek - that had left the mark, the mark about how Steele was real and living in this town, away from any others.

Making his way to the Main Street first, while being partly in his minds and partly in the reality, Steele could have heard someone walking nearby. The footsteps, or pawsteps to be exact, came from behind him and having a bit to catch at least one scent, he didn't have to guess twice who were the ones behind him - two gossip females Sylvie and Dixie and three of his former friends, whom he had never treated as friends before - Nikki, Kaltag and Star.

"Look who is waling outside now among us - a scaredly pup called Steele!" Sylvie started with her typical mockingly gossiping as she saw the malamute in front of them towards the alley. Once she was her biggest admirer, along with Dixie and Audrey - now she loathed him for being a liar and for leaving the children to die, along with her other friends that she was surrounded with. Now that Steele was nothing else but a joke to them, they used their opportunity to turn him into the bigger joke.

"Dare we to say - a scarredly puppy?!" Star barked out in front of everyone, aware of Steele's notorious action from one month ago. The others found Star's joke as a pretty accurate and hilarious. Because of Steele's infamous attack, he was now a bigger laughingstock to these dogs. As they were provoking him on purpose, hoping to make Steele do something stupid again, they were feeling ready to be attacked by Steele.

But Steele did not attack them at any point. Sure, he was listening the words meant to be served to him. As much as he was disgusted by these words, Steele was not paying any attention to them. He was not ignoring them in the fashion that he was trying to make them stop. Instead, he held his head above and had a small smile on his face. In his head, the words from the last night were echoing: "Pride or heart... pride or heart..." and without turning to the dogs behind him, he kept walking and walking.

"What's the matter, Steele?! Too disposable to respond to us?!" Dixie barked with a very high-pitched bark towards Steele, being annoyed that Steele was not paying any attention to her at all. Furthermore, she was annoyed by the fact that neither she nor the others were even able to annoy Steele. Even if they could not see his face, they could have guessed that he might have been having some kind of business to attend.

"What's the matter with him?!" Nikki wondered as he was watching Steele in the alley. Despite being aware of them behind himself, Steele was keeping cool and was not going to be provoked by the group of gossips and traitors... at least it was seeming like that for now. The others were asking themselves the questions, such as "Yesterday he seemed to angry enough to attack someone and now, he's acting like nothing can even stop him!" or even: "Yesterday he was a pure coward in front of the young wolf, now he acts as if nothing is happening."

"Wherever Steele is going, I smell trouble!" Kaltag stated out, thinking that Steele was really up to something, something pretty diabolical. The others were wondering what was he up to, because when they have noticed Steele in their birthplace again, they sensed his insanity, diabolical demeanor, isolation and anger from the distance. Going carefully through the alleys to Nome, they were just wondering - what was Steele going to do now?

As for Steele, who had just been ignoring the group of the dogs that were once his sidekicks and admirers... now they were absolutely nothing for him. If they were going to mock him any further because of that blasted scaredy-dog incident from the day before, let them be, he was thinking in himself. But once he was going to confess the crimes of his wretched past... things were going to change towards the unexpected way. He had to believe in himself... that he was going to accept the truth he'd been denying for a long time.

Looking in front of himself, he had noticed that just in front of him, The Main Street was ahead. That street seemed like the heart of the entire small Alaskan town on the west, where the humans and dogs alike were tending to gather very frequently, where the sled teams would take off for White Mountain and return from the same town. Where the every shop for this small town was located and that street was also the beating heart of the everyday life for the citizens of Nome.

While standing only few paws from revealing himself to the others in the alley, Steele was making sure that someone was there, the dogs, of course. He wanted to make sure that there would be at least Shira... or any pups, but Tayer... on that street. Knowing how he harmed Tayer only one month ago, there were definitely no chances that his youngest son would be at the same place with him. If only any other member of his family... who disowned him for his insanity and lies... was just there. Were they going to be ready to accept his apology?

Much to his surprise, he had seen several black dogs in the distance, just near the post office. It didn't take Steele that long to let him connect the dots about these dogs he was looking at from the distance. Recognizing the looks of the each dog respectively... the one with the same black eye-patches as him, the one with brown eyes and the one that was looking just like Shira... these were his other pups... Taiga, Rodney and Sarah. Now one thing in the mind of Steele was... how well this meeting was going to end for him... and for them too?

"You may have guessed that Tayer had asked Galena out for a date after the Christmas party in the boiler room!" Sarah, the youngest of the three of the black dogs, with the similar looks to her mother Shira, was letting her older sister and her older brother know about their youngest sibling. The smile on her face, widened from one cheek to the another one, was indicating how glad she was for her baby brother to ask someone he was loving dearly with all his life on a date. Being the great opportunity for the two youngsters, Galena couldn't have rejected the offer of his.

"I feel so proud for our little Tayer." Taiga let out a soft and a supporting giggle coming from her mouth. Despite his injury and the visible scar stretching across his left cheek, Taiga was looking at her younger brother as if he was being more handsome than he originally was. Also, her voice was letting her siblings know that Tayer was not the only one who was dating in their family. Taiga ended up being close friends with Koda, son of Kodi and Dusty, whose fur was solid brown like the core of the finest Alaskan pine tree, whereas his eyes were as blue as the ocean. When the two met first, which was almost one year ago, Taiga cringed deep inside herself for the insult she was throwing at Koda for the first time: "Maildog kiddo". That wasn't making much sense.

"Who wouldn't. I'm sure he is going to score the fortune and the prosperity in his life!" Rodney yelled out, being supportive towards Tayer. Even after he had sustained that head injury from the few months earlier, this was indicating that Rodney had forgiven his younger brother, knowing that none of them were knowing what they were doing. Also, Rodney found a close friend for himself. Her name was Kiana, the older daughter of Yukon and Yin, the silver-furred female with the unique black-and-white face design. Her bandanna was as purple as the sunset sky in the ideal summer evening. His meeting with her also went hostile, with him begrudging the insults he had given to her: "Spoiled brat." Just because she was wearing that bandanna, that was not the reason to call someone a spoiled brat.

Sarah was also the one who was able to make friends with someone whom she disliked at first. The friend's name was Phoenix, younger son of Nunivat, Balto's youngest pup, and Thunder, Nunivat's mate with the golden fur. Also, he was wearing Steele's collar. The question lied... how did he get in the possession of that collar? Without much bashing the head regarding that question. Sarah remembered how she used to make fun of Phoenix's special look - his ears were red, given from his mother. Now that she was realizing that she was making fun of something not worth making fun... she sighed in frustration upon realizing what kind of dumb insult she was throwing at him.

As the siblings were thinking, Steele was just watching from the alley, waiting and waiting. He couldn't wait any longer... if he was going to wait, the pups were going to leave and his chance to confess his crimes were going to be thinner. Swallowing the spit in his mouth, exhaling and inhaling, as if he spent the good chunk of his time under the surface, Steele stretched himself like a real dog and was ready on everything or nothing... about time to reveal himself.

Finally leaving the alley, Steele had managed to make his way into the Main Street. As the post office was near the alley Steele was peeking, then that meant one thing - he was pretty close to his first three pups. With the thoughts in his head, such as "Everything or nothing..." were jauntily scrolling in his head, he was finally spotted by the three pups of his. Expecting to be seen... and to be seen without any affection, that was something he could have expected as he could have heard Sarah hissing the words: "Steele?! What are you doing here!?"

"Have you come to cause the trouble on us?! As if Tayer was not enough?!" Rodney, after noticing his father, turned from quite cheerful to quite furious. He was no longer standing to have his youngest brother being harmed for telling the truth to the others. If Steele was now going to attack them, they were going to be ready. Taiga, looking at her father with the disgusted smirking look on her face, just bared her teeth out. She just had to ask him this question or two: "What do you think you are doing here, Steele? Do you think you are going to harm us this easily?!"

Noticing how he was being pushed to the wall on the opposite side of the street by his pups, he could not say a word. Why when out of the sudden, when he was about to say he was there, full of confidence, was he feeling his entire confidence evaporated like the water in the boiling bowl. Longer he was waiting to say, more dangerous it was to him to stay there. Gulping one last time, feeling quite vulnerable in front of his pups, he replied with the voice that was trying to be calm, but was shaky nonetheless: "I... I didn't come to hurt you! I came... I came to tell you... I have embraced the truth! Please!"

With the three surrounding Steele by the wall and noticing how his tone was indeed sounding vulnerable, as if Steele was clinging above the ravine, barely getting the hold of himself. Being observed by the first three pups of his, he had noticed that they had stopped on their tracks, but the smirks on their faces remained the same. He did feel like as if these smirks were something that might possibly take his life away. Sarah, scoffing under her voice, just asked: "If you really mean it... that you have embraced the truth, Steele... we shall see it."

"You must really mean it, as the trouble you have done to our family has left the consequences." Rodney growled at his father, with Steele feeling actually threatened by all this. What if all of these would go rogue. The sole thought of never returning to his owner, Mr. Hedison, made him feel a greater sense of dread. Instead of saying it, Steele nodded, trembling a lot. But to convince his pups that there were no hard feelings about any of these, he just said: "I mean it! I really mean it!"

Looking at Steele, who was feeling pretty desperate at that point, Taiga could have heard under his tone that Steele was really meaning it and that his insanity, diabolical demeanor and isolation led him to see the truth. She turned her look at her younger siblings and let them know the following: "Rodney, go get mom. If Steele really means this, then she has to hear him. Sarah, gather some others to see if Steele is right. If he is, then Tayer should come at the end!"

Rodney and Sarah, whose habit of listening to Taiga's commands never faded at all, did not object upon her command she had given them to, thus the brother and sister nodded to the eldest one and headed off to find Shira and anyone else who could have been found nearby. Taiga, looking at her father, waited and kept her guard, to make sure her own father was not going to trick or harm her in any way possible. She just had the urge to ask him: "What is it that made you come to us and seek the forgiveness?!"

"Taiga, please! I am not going to hurt you, but I want the others to hear!" Steele yelled in despair, with him laying on the ground whereas Taiga was standing above him. Seeing her father to beg for a forgiveness genuinely surprised her, as she had never seen her father in a such vulnerable state in her life before. Was he really meaning it, had he finally come to his senses? Was he really going to redeem himself for the crimes from the past? It was all on the other canines of Nome to find out.

"Where is he, Rodney?! Is he... ah!" The another female voice was heard from the distance and both Taiga and Steele looked towards that direction - Rodney was returning with his mother Shira. Upon seeing the former mate of hers, she had just smirked in disgust to see him. Ever since he had attacked Tayer one month ago, Shira had been really furious at her own mate for hurting their son. Now to see him on the Streets of Nome... it had the same feel, as if that incident had happened yesterday.

"What do you think you are doing here?!" Shira headed to Steele in the assaulting manner, with Steele backing up as fast as he could. He had to admit - ever since the change he decided to make, he started to feel more vulnerable and he knew that she had the reason to be angry at him - furthermore, he was starting to feel afraid of her due to her unlimited menace, sustained from him long time ago. Trying to use the fine words, Steele said, trying to remain as calm as possible: "Shira... I finally did it... I embraced the truth... about the crimes I had done..."

Shira looked at him with the exact same look as her pups when they had surrounded Steele. However, she did raise her eyebrow as soon as she had heard what he had just said. Also, she couldn't just dismiss it as the lie, because how vulnerable, frightened and desperate he was feeling deep inside himself. That had prompted her to ask him: "You really mean it? You really mean it that all the trouble in this town were a huge part of your deeds?"

"If you allow me, I shall not only confess it to you, but if I have to - to every dog of Nome out here!" Steele begged her, as if he was clinging on the final chance of his life. Now that he was making his first step - of accepting the truth about himself - and how he had to deal with the ways that were now, he just wanted to have friends, and his family. He couldn't stand the isolation and being ostracized from the community. That all made him seek deeper into the insanity - he wanted the affection, the love in any way possible. All he wanted was that his isolation would come to the end at once. Then, Shira perked with her ears in the distance, along with Taiga, in the distance. The voices, many voices of the canines - they were coming there, very likely hearing the news from Sarah.

"There is Sarah!" Taiga and Rodney both commented, noticing their younger sister walking to the exact same spot where Steele was being near. She was being followed by the group of more than one dozen of the dogs. Balto and Jenna, the two that were the canines he couldn't have been standing ever since Balto's salvation almost six years ago... he didn't feel any anger towards him nor her, but he couldn't express any happiness to see them, or even Max and Molly, who were walking behind their old friends and in front of the others, who were the young dogs, possibly their descendants. As Sarah stopped on the nearest spot to Steele, she just had to say: "I hope I have brought the ones who you needed, Taiga."

"Very good, Sarah." Taiga spoke to her sister, taking a short glance at the ones who were present. Just as she was expecting - Balto and Jenna, along with Max and Molly, were there. The others around were all of Balto's pups but Aleu, considering the fact that Sarah couldn't have gone to the old boat in the moment as quick as flash. There were the mates of Balto's pups, except for Kenai, who was with Aleu undoubtedly. Also, there was Yang, the brother-in-law of Yukon and twin brother of Yin, whom Shira started dating not long ago. It was revealed that he had fallen in love with her even before Shira had learned the truth of her own mate. If he was going to be Shira's future mate, Taiga knew one thing - he'd be more like a real father than Steele. After taking a short glance at them, she then focused once again at her father and asked him: "So... Steele. Why have you come here to us?"

"If you allow me." Steele begged for the chance to be given to him as he was raising on all of his fours. He had to be careful regarding his movements, because any suspicious movement could have led to him being attacked. Looking at his former sled team rivals, whose looks on their faces were like: "Just try do something out of the place and you are done for.", Steele was not showing any kind of oppressing them at any moment, but looked at them as if he was begging them to speak. He just wanted to end his isolation and be appreciated by the others, yet he had to do one thing - sacrifice his pride. As he was not expecting the others to talk, he wasn't expecting Balto to say: "It's alright, let him speak."

"But we are watching you." Jenna alerted Steele, knowing that he was in no charge her, nor that he was going to get in charge during these moments. The female he was once craving for, during his glory days, now was ethically superior in comparison to him, without Steele having anything to oppose her or something. Turning his look at Shira, who was making sure that her former mate was not going to harm anyone, Steele swallowed his spit once again, trying to sound as sincere as possible. Looking her right into the eyes, as it was the right thing to do when talking to someone, Steele started, slowly and steadily: "Shira... I have seen something last night... it was like... a dream, but it felt like it was a reality!"

"Are you sure you are not seeing things?" Molly interrupted Steele in a rather mockingly fashion. Before she could have said any more words, Balto looked at her with the glance that was saying: "Not now, Molly!", causing her to stop commenting any further. Not even Steele showed that he was angered by that comment. He couldn't throw tantrums, nor he had the desire to do so. He had to play cool all the time and show that he was capable of accepting the truth and ditching his filthy ego. Looking back at his former mate, he asked her an another question, a significant one: "Do you... remember you first owner... Sean was his name?"

That question only made Shira widen her eyes, thus breaking off her angered face into a rather astonished look. The mention of her own former owner Sean... only brought her the sad memories... He was her first owner in White Mountain, and she just adored him dearly, as much as he did the same to her. But diphtheria struck poor little Sean ill... and as the medicine never arrived... Sean was lost... Just after his funeral, after presuming that Sean's parents could do something to her... she had to run away in the night... which led to the events of her meeting Steele in the wild... being manipulated by him... and eventually giving birth to his puppies... Returning back to the reality, she just asked him, while stuttering: "W-what about S-sean?"

"I saw him, in that vision..." Steele moved on, trying to at least show some emotion, knowing what was his former mate's most vulnerable spot. Yang, who was in the crowd standing by the side, next to Yukon and Yin, noticed that Shira was getting very emotional at the moment. In order to show her some proper compassion, Yang made it through the crowd to head to Shira, whom he had embraced in a tight hug, licking the tear off her cheek. However, Steele could not feel any anger towards Yang, but rather was feeling bad, especially after him hearing the words muttering: "Don't worry, don't worry, please..."

"I saw Sean in the vision of mine, but he was still alive... and I was in the White Mountain, adopted by a human..." Steele started again, remembering visually what he had seen. While he couldn't remember the face of the human, he could he remembered how he and Shira were showing the affection towards each other and how both of them were very caring and loving towards their puppies. "I mean, it was the same year when you, Taiga, Rodney and Sarah... and Tayer... were all two months old. All six of us, we were a family, a happy and a caring family!"

"What is that all supposed to mean, Steele?" Rodney interrupted him unintentionally, who was now feeling some kind of odd sensation in his body. Living a life in the town since the birth and the joy of the family was something Rodney was pretty much alien to until as of recent. Not feeling like lashing any anger for being interrupted, Steele just nodded briefly to his older son before he just let the others know: "What I have seen is the past... that could have happened... but it never did. And do you all know want to know why?!"

"Tell us." Max said, with the tone as if he was quite superior dog in comparison to Steele, which was quite ironical because Max was one of Steele's punching bags during his days of glory. Watching at his former sled dog rival, Steele was feeling how he was trembling, as if he was going to explode out of sadness. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't hold it anymore. He couldn't push with his ego anymore. He just closed his eyes for a moment, opened them and said something that let the others awestruck: "Because of me! IT NEVER HAPPENED BECAUSE OF ME! I COULD HAVE MADE IT HAPPEN, BUT I WAS STILL BLIND WITH MY EGO AND MY PRIDE! I COULD NOT LET MY PAST GO! IF I HADN'T DONE ANY OF THIS AFTER LEAVING NOME, I WOULD BE LIVING A NEW LIFE IN THE TOWN OF WHITE MOUNTAIN AND ACCEPT THE NEW LIFE! BUT I WAS TOO WEAK TO ACCEPT IT!"

Lashing out every emotion out of his mouth, Steele felt like that his soul was being released from the burden that had made his life quite heavy and miserable. The isolation and and insanity only pushed him deeper - and even if denying it, he needed the way out of that misery. Looking down on the ground, feeling the tear in his right eye, he felt that unleashing all of this would have brought him to the relief. But the question was... were they going to believe him? They were avoiding him as a plague for a month.

"All of these attention I was getting... it all came from the puppy days of mine... being adored by humans and females around that time... I couldn't help myself but to absorb all to that praise... which led to... well, you know..." Steele said without raising his head. He was feeling relieved, but also pained after saying all of these words. The pain in his soul was finally letting him go, but the question was - were there any chances that he was going to be forgiven for this, after every crime he had done to the ones who hadn't deserved it?

"Steele! Steele, look at us!" Taiga yelled to her father, but it was not the tone she had been using before, the tone that was saying: "Get out of my sight!". It was the different tone, while still being the angry one, there was the compassion under her note. Not willing to oppose his daughter, Steele did the exact thing as said, with the hopes of him being at least partly-forgiven. What if he was going to have to take the path of the full redemption? Taiga, being in charge of this, just said: "You have shown us that you are genuinely upset for causing these crimes... and we understand you. But the thing is... we shall decide what to do with you."

"Does that mean...?" Steele watched at his oldest pup, full of hope now. Was this the chance of his life? Was he finally going to be forgiven, or at least partly being forgiven for everything he had done in his past? As they were saying... who admits, gets forgiven the half... but was he worthy enough to be forgiven partly. Watching the others, who were no longer facing him, but the others and the crowd, the murmurs were heard, with them discussing about the possible solution. Before it was given, they could have heard Dingo saying: "I think that Tayer also has to decide on this!"

Hearing the name of his son, whom he had given a scar across his cheek in the fit of anger, only made the pain in his claw even more piercing. He knew why it was piercing him - the guilt and the remorse for doing a such thing was tearing him apart. Upon looking at the group, discussing about him and his acceptance of the truth, he could have seen Dingo heading off towards the another direction, in search for Tayer and possibly Galena, who was spending a lot of time with him lately.

"It is all on what Tayer thinks about this, Steele." Sarah spoke to her father, who was herself wondering what kind of income was going to follow. If Steele was going to be partly-forgiven for this, there was going to be some relief for him and the reason to stay here in Nome. If not, all of his hopes he had been building to prove himself for good would be crushed... and not to mention... his existence would be questioned and he'd never return to the dogs again...

The minutes were going so slow, slower than hours... slower than days... slower than months... as if the Tayer's arrival was going to take the whole eternity... but much to his delight... it didn't. Dingo's voice was heard in the distance, with the voices of the hope, the possible hope... as the hope would always die last. The voices were saying: "Tayer, come on! I know you aren't going to like it... but you can prove that you are better than this!"

"I am with you, Tayer!" The other voice encouraged Tayer from the distance. It belonged to Galena, Dingo's daughter, who was looking just like her father with her plum red fur and ocean blue eyes. The way of rebuilding the relationship between Galena and Dingo was going to be long, but not impossible. Soon enough, Dingo was back, accompanied by Galena and Tayer following them. Looking at the company in front of him, the company that was providing him the comfort and affection, he could have felt much easier, but upon seeing his father nearby, the fear in his eyes was shown and his eyes were widened now.

"Don't, I am with you!" The other female voice spoke to Tayer and feeling the paw on his back, the paw of comfort, it was as soft as if it was like his mother's, but it wasn't Shira's paw. It was Dana, as her touch of comfort was the touch of all of the warmth intended for him. With her putting the paw on his back, he was feeling that the fear, pumping up in his blood, was cooling down at last. But with Steele being nearby, the worries weren't over yet. Looking at his father, wondering what could have been happening next, he had just to ask: "What is... *he*... doing here, mom?"

"He has learned... to accept his truth." Shira spoke to her youngest son, with her voice feeling like as if there was the some kind of the invisible shield surrounding him, the shield that was going to protect him from any possible harm coming from Steele. Looking at his mother, and then at his father, only to look around the others who were around, knowing that they were here for him, he felt the urge to say the following: "Tell me! Tell me how it happened!"

The time that they were spending there was plenty, as they all were having all the time in the world. Knowing that Steele couldn't speak to his son, feeling that it was not his time to speak with his son yet, Taiga, Rodney and Sarah were the ones who were re-telling him the events of what had been happening earlier. With him absorbing the knowledge of everything he had heard, like a sponge absorbing the water in the astonishing speed, the look on Tayer's face was showing that he was genuinely surprised by his father's change of heart. During this, Shira was seen becoming emotional once again, with Yang by her side to comfort her, hearing the name "Sean" being spoken. Steele couldn't look at them - as the guilt that was crushing him for some time was affecting him a lot. He was doing something unexpected - abandoning his glory.

With these words coming to Tayer's head and being absorbed like a water in sponge, he was not believing what he was hearing. His father, whom he had known for his insanity, cruelness and murderlusting personality... was now being the exact opposite. The way he was sitting on the ground, refusing to look at the others, was a pretty emotional moment. But it was now everything on Tayer... was he going to reject his father for the cruelty he had given to him... or he was going to at least accept his apology.

"All that Steele was doing to the family was just cruel... but am I going to reject him for so...? Or am I going to be something he is not... forgiving?" Tayer's mind was rambling with a heavy decision in his head... to ditch his father and let him rot in isolation further... or let him off his crimes, or at least part of it? Exhaling, after a lot of seconds, Tayer raised his head towards Steele's and hoping that his decision was the right thing, just said: "Even if you were cruel to us, Steele, I am not going to look at your apology as a some kind of the forgery..."

Everyone was literally surprised by Tayer's decision, even Steele. His eyes widened in astonished as soon as he had heard that coming from his son. Was he... really going to forgive him, or at least part of it? Turning his head slowly at his son, with the jaw being dropped to the maximal proportions, he just listened to his son telling him and the others: "You may have committed some of the terrible crimes to us and the others, but if you are really sorry for what you have done... then I am giving you one last chance... but know it that the apology coming from me is partly."

Watching at his son saying the words like these was a real shocker to Steele. Out of blue, the urge to rush to him and embrace Tayer as hard as possible was burning into him... but he had to keep it down, for now. Everyone around him had turned the back to him, which he could have expected, as it was now all on the others to choose what they were going to do - let him in the society, or abandon him.

That decision was something that was making Steele's entire body tremble in the insurance. All that he was hoping was that he was not going to suffer more isolation he had been experiencing for a long time. What seemed like hours to Steele, the others have finally turned around at him and in the name of all of the canines, Balto had spoken: "Alright, Steele. We have decided, that despite your crimes, to forgive half of the things you have done. That is if you were really meaning these."

"I was meaning these, lo... Balto." Steele stuttered upon speaking Balto's name up. He cringed in himself as he almost called him with a rather offensive name. Thankfully for him, no one was taking his almost-accidental line in account. But now that he was being half-forgiven, he was wondering whether he was making the step ahead of his life... only for his thoughts to be interrupted by Yukon, Balto's oldest son: "We may let you be in our society from now on, but if you want to be fully forgiven for your crimes... you'll have to do something - and that means saving someone's life... or even the entire town."

"I shall do everything if it is necessary!" Steele begged for that chance to be given to him. He was not only saying that because he wanted to get rid of that guilt, but because he knew that with his change of heart - he was going to be like Steele from his vision - lovable and a caring father... That past may not have happened, but what he had seen in it did not just mean that was gone forever. The hopes were still growing in him...

"Good. Then this meeting is concluded." Thunder, the golden husky and mate of Nunivat, Balto's youngest pup with the bright red fur. Noticing the collar around Thunder's neck - brown, leather and with the golden buttons - it was his own collar! But... he didn't crave for it... he did not want to have it back. The pride was no longer the main priority in his life. If Thunder was now wearing that collar, then he should keep it. Steele got the hold of himself upon seeing it, he could not crave for it. It was now in the paws of the new owner.

"If you want to be the part of society, Steele, you can be with us, but we will be watching you." Max let his former sled dog rival know, wanting to know whether Steele was going to hold up with his promises or not? But now... that he was being half forgiven for his crimes... now he wanted to go home, be by Mr. Hedison and feel his comfort. If he wanted to ever join them in any kind of socializing... that'd be the story for the next time. Shaking with his head lightly, he just let them know: "If you allow me, I shall come some other time, please?"

"Alright." Some of the dogs spoke to him, watching him and every of his move, wanting to make sure Steele was really meaning all of this. Turning them his back, Steele just slowly walked to the alley from which he had come from. He felt different... the burden on his chest was taken off, and the feel of redeeming himself was actually... good. He could feel that with this new and odd sensation circulating in his body was making him feel much easier. Making his way to his house, the minutes that were passing were as fast as the seconds.

However, before he could have reached his home, he had heard several familiar voices behind him. Instantly recognizing each of these voices - the gossips and the former friends of his. What were they trying to do now? Still poking at him, after being partly forgiven? The laughter was indeed piercing through his ears, but he was not reacting to that... not a chance to be provoked for some stupid gossiping. There were the gossips such as: "Wow, do you believe that no one got scarred out of their furs by Steele?!" or "Something tells me disposable hound wasn't harming the poor dogs out there!"

"Really, you are still saying these stuff? You'd change your mind if you were paying attention there." Steele said it blandly and straightly, remaining as cool as possible. Thus he had rejected them in the most proper way possible. He just had to say: "Even if you two are really good at gossiping, how about you ladies do something worthy for a change and seek the truth?" With these said, Steele just headed off towards his house, not wasting any more time on the gossips behind him.

"Did Steele just...?!" Star just had to ask in the name of all five there, but he could not finish question. In fact, no one could say a thing. Instead of making him angry and to turn him into the joke after throwing tantrums, the joke was on them. Watching Steele walking off rendered them speechless. Then, they were looking at each other, wondering what they were going to say to each other. But they felt that they had lost the ability to speak.

Back at Steele... he was heading off to his home, feeling the urge to spend the rest of the day in the house... sharing the affection with Mr. Hedison. Speaking of Mr. Hedison, he was on the doors of the house, fixing the dog doors. In fact, he was replacing the dog doors because the ones Steele had bent the day before were bent beyond repair. The new ones were set and were fitting very well for the doors. All in all, the dog doors were replaced.

After finishing the repair on the doors, Mr. Hedison turned around and noticed that Steele was coming back. With a cheerful look on his face upon seeing his dog, Mr. Hedison just let him know: "Steele! Just on time! Look, I have made you the dog doors!" But the reparation was something he had put aside. Instead, he buried his head in Mr. Hedison's coat and snuggled his head against him. He was feeling the full affection towards his owner and Mr. Hedison, knowing what Steele's desires were, just started stroking his head and was whispering: "Who's my good boy Steele? Who's my good boy? Yes, YOU are!"

For the first time of the long time of being miserable and cruel, the kind, affectionate and compassionate sensation circulating in Steele's body was making him a really nice and a friendly dog. Putting the socialization aside for now, he wanted to share the affection with his owner and if he was thinking of having enough for today, he was going to hang out with the dogs later, but he had to know that he was going to be supervised for his actions. Better being supervised by the others rather than being alone, he thought.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Deja Vu

The new life for Steele, as it could have been seen by the other canines that were living in the town of Nome, was a real surprise for them. Having detested the glory hound that had let the children to die back in 1925 and him being exiled in the wild of Nome, only to return five years later... with his family, and then with him returning... No one wanted that to happen, but it happened in the end. The canines of Nome and around were just pretending that Steele didn't exist, hoping to cure the wounds of the old...

But the ignorance was not what led to the solace in the town again, nor that Steele was isolating himself from the others... the truth that was longing so hard to be revealed to the others was no longer capable of being trapped behind that bubble of lies. It just had to burst so the others would have been let know about it. With Steele openly and remorsefully stating out his crimes... he was partly forgiven, with the full forgiveness to come if he was to save someone's life or save the town of Nome.

Just few days after accepting the truth in front of everyone being present, Steele's social life was no longer leaking on the hollow bottom of void, but was seeing the light of the socialization again. Though, due to being only partly forgiven, he was being supervised by everyone around him whenever he was on the Main Street or in the boiler room. They were making sure that Steele was going to keep up with the deal and they wanted to see if Steele was really feeling sorry for his crimes or was using them.

When spending time in the boiler room, most of the time he'd be listening to the talk of the others without even interrupting them. Sometimes he'd hear about himself and even kept his voice down if he was being criticized for some harmful crimes, the ones that were going to be fully forgiven once Steele was going to finish his new life mission. He wasn't pretty talkative around the others and he'd only speak if the talk between the certain ones were together, but were mostly some short questions of his, agreements or disagreements. Nothing much.

When it came to his family... Steele was a stranger to them, but not a stranger to feel bad for, but to make sure that his crimes weren't fully forgiven yet. Whenever he was seeing Shira, their talk would be lasting short and he just couldn't force himself to come up with anything else. He was just letting her talk and talk. Because they were no longer seeing each other as mates, Shira was dating Yang at that point... and there was nothing Steele could do about it... not that he was changing.

"If he really loves her... then I cannot object. I will let them be." Steele thought to himself as he was looking at them once cuddling to each other in the distance. The love between Shira and Yang was not that kind of love Steele was sharing with Shira... these two actually were in love with each other and Yang was treating her as a lady as well! Even if he was younger than Shira, Yang was in Shira's eyes the one who had everything in his paws.

About his pups, as he was no longer a father in their eyes... he had no authority over them anymore. They could have been with anyone they wanted and now that he was not that diabolically insane Steele anymore, he had no other choice but to accept that fact. Taiga, his oldest pup, was dating Koda, son of Kodi and Dusty. Rodney, older son of his, was in the relationship with Kiana, daughter of Yukon and Yin. Sarah, the younger daughter, was seeing Phoenix, son of Nunivat and Thunder. As known from before, Tayer and Galena were in a strong and a loving relationship with each other.

Whenever he was seeing his pups, especially if these were his first three pups, the talk between him and them would not be really that shiny. The three of them were still keeping the distance from their father and were making sure he was not playing his dirty tricks. Still, they were willing to talk with him and more he talked with his pups, more relieved he was feeling deep inside himself. Well, at least when it came with his first three older pups.

With Tayer it was a rather different story. When the son and the father were always finding themselves in the same area, the amount of the words they could exchange was reduced to one or two. With the scar on Tayer's cheek coming from Steele's claw, the pain would pierce through his paw to let him know one thing - the pain was not going to stop until his life mission was going to be finished. Sometimes Steele had to say to himself: "I am really going to save that someone, or the entire town! I'll be damned if I never achieve that goal!"

Furthermore, as he had no power to prevent his pups from dating the grandpups of Balto, he decided not to bother himself with that ever again. He was changing and one of his changes were that he was going to accept with whom his pups were dating. Soon enough, when he was somewhat expecting - his pups were starting to date each of their friends respectively. Yang and Shira had been dating after a long while.

The joys of Tayer and Sarah's dates were just pretty high at any stakes possible. Tayer and Galena were literally close friends to each other and despite the scar on Tayer's cheek, she found her friend as even more handsome than he originally was. Sarah's date with Phoenix was a rather unforgettable experience - as she was really amused by Phoenix's knowledge of stars, with the romance sparking between the two. Even that he hadn't talked with Tayer, Steele got his chance to exchange a word or more with Sarah about her date, such as: "It was a good date, Steele.", "Phoenix is a romantic guy." and so on.

The date of Kiana and Rodney was more or less smooth, with the two spending their time in the forest to observe the beauties of the forest at night, spotting Aurora Borealis in the distance and so on. Well, the date went almost rogue... because someone heard them in the forest and the forest was also the wolf territory of Tundra. It was Denahi who had heard the voices, but as soon as he had found out they belonged to his cousin Kiana and her friend Rodney - all carried on well. With that hearing, Steele just had to think in himself: "Well, if that was just an accidental way to come across each other... then it was better I hadn't intervened." The sole thought of him attacking anyone in Nome or outside made him feel the terrible sense of dread... If he would end up harming anyone... he'd never be forgiven.

When it came to Koda and Taiga's date, Steele was spending his time resting on the porch of his house, with having a short talk with Taiga about her date. All he wished to her was to actually have a nice time with Koda and that the two would find that night to a remember. With him being sunk deep into his thoughts... someone ran by in front of his house... but as he was deep into his minds, he couldn't have paid the attention to that someone. Oddly enough, he could have recognized the pacing of the running-by canine.

"What the...? Was that Taiga?" Steele suddenly broke back into the reality. Because when he was supervising them in the forest, in the shadows, he could have audibly recognized the pace of Taiga - swift, fast and smooth. But wait... wasn't she on the date with Koda? What if something went wrong, such as having their date suddenly interrupted because Taiga could have told Koda she talked with her father... even worse, Koda still being resentful at that malamute who had kidnapped him one and a half year ago, along with his siblings and cousins? Not to mention... had he any clue about his redeeming for his crimes?

"Josh! Saba! HURRY UP! Koda has injured himself on the cliff! HE NEEDS A RESCUE NOW!" Taiga shrieked behind her as she was running in front of Saba and Josh, passing near Steele's house. Upon hearing that word... "RESCUE"... if Koda was needing a rescue... then that'd mean one thing... he had to find Koda and save his life! If so, he'd finally redeem himself and have his crimes forgiven at last! But before he could move, he saw Josh and Saba running in front of his house, rushing to Koda's place.

Realizing that if he was fast enough to find Koda and rescue him... then that was it! He wasted no time but to follow Saba and Josh. Once he'd leave the town, he'd go with the alternate route to where Koda was and out of nowhere, would help the poor young husky to get out. Running as fast as the wind of the typhoon, Steele was wincing in the pain upon having his muscles moving too fast from running... the pain was just slowing him down... but: "No! PLEASE, I need to rescue the young Koda! PLEASE!"

"I got you, Koda, don't worry!" The voice could have been heard in the distance and tracking the source of that sound, Steele found Josh rescuing his nephew from the snow under the cliff and then he saw the vet, John, arriving at the spot. With Taiga and Saba looking concerned for Koda, Steele scoffed deeply inside himself out of the frustration. They had managed to find and rescue Koda first! Now he lost his chance to redeem himself! He had to let it go, because if he caused any harm... he feared the worst. Turning around to his home, he just thought to himself: "I cannot believe it... I almost had it...!"

The next few days, Steele had found out that Koda was standing on the unstable cliff during his date with Taiga, which resulted with Koda descending down. For the wounds on his legs, he had to recover at his home for two or three days, with Taiga taking care of him. Also, Koda's younger sister, Allina, the maroon-red female husky and Kodi's younger daughter, went a bit too far with her overprotective demeanor. Thankfully, she was told to take it easy next time, without Koda and Allina rumbling their relationship. Thus, Koda and Taiga went on to have the another date, without any accidents.

For Steele, it was a bitter disappointment that he was not there in time... it was like there was someone else in his life who meant a lot to him. Someone who was dangling on the edge of her life. It was like as if he tried to save her, but in the end... failed... Still, that was not his last chance, but there were more ahead for him. But the question remained - what?

As the weeks had passed, with Steele being in the boiler room with the others, being supervised as usual, he had found out some news, much to his astonishment. Yang just stepped out of the crowd and yelled proudly: "We did it! Shira and I have finally become mates!" The other dogs were cheering on him and Steele, who realized bitterly how he no longer had her and the fact that he was deeply regretting how the past that could have happened, but never had. All in all, Steele just smiled weakly at Yang for so.

"And you aren't the only one, Yang! Alice and I have also become mates!" Ralph, the fat gray Alaskan Malamute and friend of Kodi, also his teammate, let the others know. The cheering that was heard in boiler room wasn't as loud as Yang's, but it was there. Alice... the older sister of Josh who had moved there one year ago, before Shira had arrived to town... she was an eye-candy to Ralph and the two started dating. Josh was not really okay with that relationship at first, but seeing that she was older and could make the decisions on her own, let them be together. Steele, who knew that if Shira was revealed to bear the puppies of Yang's, he was going to be the step-father now.

And then, just one and a half month later, the predictions of Steele's were true - Shira was bearing Yang's triplets, with Shira and Yang's families being very supportive towards them. Having a short moment with Shira, Steele just had a very short talk, with Steele telling her: "Well, all I have to tell you is... congratulations.", with Shira responding blandly: "That's pretty considerate of you.". Also, Alice was shown to bear five of Ralph's puppies.

Just as Steele was thinking that his chances for accomplish his life goals couldn't get any lower... he was actually wrong, especially that day... the day that just had some kind of "deja vu" feeling. It all started just the exact same day when Shira was around six weeks pregnant with Yang's puppies...

It was the sunset of that day, with Steele resting himself on sofa and being cuddled by Mr. Hedison, who was just observing the fire in the fireplace burning. The day was a really snowy one and quite chilly. While Mr. Hedison was cuddling Steele, he was just being silent, with a light smile stretching around his face. Steele was enjoying this cuddle, but the fact that he still hadn't finished his mission was that he felt something was not in place, and that was just bothering him.

Suddenly, the knock on the door was heard. As any dog that'd curious about the knocking on the door, Steele got up first and stood in front of the doors, being followed by Mr. Hedison, who just had to ask: "I wonder who that might be.". Mr. Hedison being visited was quite usual and even Steele knew that, feeling anxious around the newcomers rather. Opening the door, there was the human whom Steele had seen several times visiting Mr. Hedison. However, he was seeming rather upset.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Hedison asked his friend, noticing that the upset look on his face was indicating something was in the town, something unusual and yet something that couldn't be any good. Steele was even intrigued by the talk, such as the words saying: "Stay safe in the house."; "The illness is spreading in the town" or "Anchorage is sending us the medicine." These words... these words felt like... deja vu. The illness, the medicine... "It's just like The Serum Run six years ago!" Steele suddenly remembered, as he was the one who was carrying the medicine home, but was driven by his ego...

He had to go out there, somewhere out there... he had to see with his own eyes the ill people in the hospital of Nome. Hoping that his owner and the friend of Mr. Hedison wouldn't mind him being outside, he just got through them and Mr. Hedison just let his friend know: "Steele needs to get some fresh air by himself, you know." Seeing that none of the humans found that odd in any way, Steele could have proceeded with his way to the hospital.

Seeing the tall and stand-out building in the Main Street, with the lights on... that did give Steele some chills. Hoping that the cases of the illnesses he had heard weren't too serious, Steele just headed to the nearest window of the hospital, crossing the street and getting up on his rear paws. The scenario wasn't really frightening, with some humans in there... being ill, and seeing the doctor how he was shaking with his head... he had no medicine for them...

"This is just like six years ago!" Steele suddenly barked, being completely in disbelief that what he was seeing... it was not like in 1925. He bitterly remembered how he had absolutely no care to save these children, but to claim his glory and the prize... Looking at these humans, with them having no medicine and being exposed to death... that made Steele feel slight chills down his spine again, with the thought that some of these... could have been the owners of the other canines... now he knew... how it felt like being in the skin of Balto.

"Do you understand now how they feel?" The voice just asked Steele, who was startled by the voice. Looking around to see who was the one who spoke to him, he could have spotted Balto standing nearby, without any fears. Steele just watched him speechlessly... knowing that it was him who saved the town six years ago... and now... the town needed the savior again... or the group of saviors. "And that is how I felt when the children needed the medicine, Steele."

"Balto... I have heard that the town of Anchorage is sending us the medicine, but by what means?" Steele asked Balto, but not in the way that he was being superior doing in comparison to him. It was a rather genuinely friendly question. If Balto could have let him live in the town again and now that he was seeing what it could have been... he couldn't bear any more ill luck towards his former enemy. The question circulated in his head... what if the sled dog team needed to get that medicine?

His answer arrived immediately and much to his surprise, it said: "Boats and planes are cut off to fly here. This is just going to be like six years ago, with the younger dogs this time.". The younger dogs... that echoed in his head. He was no longer that young and he knew what had happened when he led the team with the medicine... the pride was what had mattered to him... but if he had another chance, it'd be the compassion that'd matter to him.

"Well, thank you for the information." Steele let him know as he turned around and was now on his way back home. That encounter was the encounter Steele knew he could not forget. Until of recently, he loathed that wolf-dog, calling him mutt whenever he wanted to do. Now, that he was no longer craving for his pride... he actually saw Balto as the one who would possibly lead him back to the light of his life. The another thought circulated in his head, which was like: "What would Balto think of this now?"

Once returning to his home, he had noticed that Mr. Hedison's friend had already left and as it was pretty late out there, without anyone being on the streets. These days really provided the nights to immediately send anyone to bed whenever possible. Even when he was home, he had noticed that Mr. Hedison was getting ready for the bed. Without any other choices, Steele decided to call it a night for himself as well, tucking himself into the bed of the worn out materials.

The next day came as quick as the flash. It felt like when Steele just shut his eyes and as if the second passed... the sun was already rising on the east. Even Mr. Hedison was putting on his regular clothes. He was preparing the breakfast for himself and got some beef jerky in the kitchen drawer, which was for Steele. Putting some in his food bowl, Mr. Hedison whistled to Steele, following his the call: "Breakfast, Steele!"

Also, as the sleep seemed to go by literally fast, the hunger that Steele was feeling was indeed a strong one. Even if he was tired and that the bowl was near the table... if only he didn't have to get up... but Mr. Hedison was not going to bring the bowl to his bed. Yawning and stretching, Steele used his opportunity to get on all of his fours and headed to the table to get the breakfast. Also, Mr. Hedison was done making his breakfast.

"Say, this is an interesting article." Mr. Hedison commented while reading the newspapers during his breakfast, his usual morning routine. Wondering what was Mr. Hedison talking about, Steele just stopped eating and pushed with his head to Mr. Hedison's lap, he looked at the article Mr. Hedison was looking at. He spotted it and much to his delight, it was saying "Nome sends the fastest dogs to Nenana to reach the medicine!" It was all over again - the run for the medicine.

Raising his paw to point straight at the article, Steele cheerfully barked as he was trying to focus Mr. Hedison's attention at the article again. He eventually did, but the look on Mr. Hedison's face was rather discouraging. Smiling rather weakly and disappointing, Mr. Hedison patted Steele's head few times as he was saying: "You want to be a sled dog in that team, Steele? I'm afraid not, boy. John has told you that you aren't capable to be a sled dog anymore."

That was a rather sensitive topic when he had heard Mr. Hedison disagreeing to enroll him for the test race. He was once a top dog of Nome and even led the sled team to Nenana for the medicine, only for the things to go terribly wrong due to his ego. Now that Mr. Hedison wouldn't let him go... he realized that the chances of him to save the town or someone... were getting thinner and thinner. Suddenly, he got the idea - if Balto could have raced in the test race six years ago, without anyone inviting him in - then Steele was going to do the same. All that he had to do was... "To sneak on the start line of the test race. That's a piece of cake!"

Making sure that Mr. Hedison was not paying any attention, Steele just sneaked to the front doors and was now exiting the house. Hoping that Mr. Hedison was too concerned reading the newspapers, Steele knew where he had to head - to the Main Street. Suddenly, as he was heading towards that street, Mr. Hedison was heard from the house. But what he said was something that Steele could have easily exhale and inhale in relief, with him saying: "Taking a walk around the town, boy? Have fun!"

"Heh, now when he's not paying attention, I'm going to sneak to the test race! No one else is going to know that I'm unable to race, as they say." Steele smiled cunningly, with the second sentence he had said was filled with his usual scoffing. After all, his owner was Mr. Hedison, but did anyone else know that he was incapable to race? Why should they worry anyways?! If they wanted to live with the medicine to Nome, then they should let him go.

"Mushers, gather your dogs at the line!" The familiar yell could be heard in the distance. It was just the same announcer who'd announce the races from one town to the another. The line he could have seen in the distance was filled with the dogs, yet there were some noticeable gaps in-between. Enough for him to sneak in. But, no make sure he wasn't going to attract any unnecessary attention from both sides, he could have chosen to stand on the far right.

Deciding for so, Steele just headed there quite silently and carefully. No one was going to stop him from entering this race - he had to save this town, and he could have felt how the town was suffering - they needed that medicine. With him heading to the exact spot he'd decided to go, he heard some of the nearest humans gasping - did they find out that he was there already? But they weren't the only one to find that out...

"Hey, what are you doing here, Steele?!" A voice asked him from the several yards away. The voice belonged to Kirby, Kodi's teammate, the bulky brown husky. He was the very first one to notice to Steele was on the line. Looking at the exact same spot where Kirby was looking at, the other dogs focused their looks at Steele and of course, were literally surprised that Steele was on the line. Not wanting to this kind of attention, he was just wondering... when was that blasted race going to start already?!

"Hold on! I SAID HOLD ON!" Someone was heard yelling in the distance and that voice actually belonged to a human. The sled dogs on the line, including Steele, were looking around to see who was the one that was yelling, also interrupting the decisive race. While Steele hadn't noticed at first, the other dogs had and when he had found out that the other dogs were looking in front of Steele, he turned his look in front of himself. There was his musher... the one who was now the musher of Dingo's team. He was shaking with his head.

"Come on, Steele. You cannot go on this race. The vet told us about your condition." These words, his former musher, once his own musher was saying... this felt like someone had taken away the special one in his life away by the force. Now that he was having a chance to fully redeem himself, and to accomplish his life mission... why? Why him?! Why did he have to be taken out of the test racing?! He stared at his musher in disbelief, who just was heard yelling: "Steele! I said, come on! You cannot go on this race!"

"Steele, you should listen to him." Kirby, who had asked what was Steele doing in the first place here, let him know that he had no choice. If he was going to wait here... then no test race was going to take place... then no one was going to deliver the medicine... then the ill people were not going to make it... the utter dread in his body was spreading pretty fast. Now he could have seen how this all felt like - as if people were pretending that they were happy to see him again, but somehow found out that it was him who wanted to let the children die for the sake of his pride... he could have felt the taste of his own medicine now.

"Okay... I guess I'll just go." Steele, looking at the ground below him, was rather saddened by these news. Knowing that there was no time to waste for this race to take place - he moved aside, through the human legs and behind them... it was like the destiny was not going to allow him to save the town or someone's life. The destiny was giving him the taste of his own medicine for his crimes... but was this the end of his path to redemption? It could not be the end yet! The thoughts of his were broken by the gunfire from the announcer - the test race was starting.

"Were you trying to get in the race for real?!" The voice, puzzled and surprised, came from one of the dogs sitting nearby, watching the test race. There was not the only one dog there - there were three of them - Balto's oldest son Yukon, Saba's mate and John's main rescue dog Josh and Thunder, the golden husky who was bearing his collar. The voice obviously belonged to Josh, who was watching him while saying these lines. "My owner had told everyone about your condition, Steele. This isn't for you, you know."

"Well... I am sure what I have made was... really stupid." Steele tried to say these lines without losing confidence, but knowing that he was the old dog among the fresh young dogs out there was just embarrassing. They were right - it was not for him to head to Nenana and back; it was for these dogs who were going to race - seven young dogs. But now that he couldn't accomplish his mission - then how was he going to do it anyways. He couldn't focus on that as he had heard the announcer yelling: "Excellent! We have the seven fastest dogs to lead the way to Nenana!"

"Are these seven - the young ones?" Steele just had to ask himself. If he was going to see Nikki, Kaltag or Star there - that would have been the most embarrassing failure, for even listening the others not to go. Having a better view at the winner dogs - these were all young ones - Nikki, Kaltag and Star weren't even there! But the ones that were there - Balto's sons Kodi and Dingo, their respective mates Dusty and Dana, Kodi's friends Kirby and Ralph. But the most surprising one was - Tayer!

Wondering what was his son doing there and how he could not have spotted him on the line was just making his mind boggle like anyone else. Knowing that he still could not be next to Tayer nor the fact that they could speak to each other like any father or son... he was going to at least tell him goodbye... or even wish him luck on his journey to Nenana. When the others were going to be around, he was going to let him go that he was caring towards him. These seven - they were going to leave at dusk of this exact same day.

With the team getting ready for the biggest race of their lives, it was really lively on the Main Street. Mr. Hedison was, along with Steele, watching how the young seven dogs were getting ready for the race. Mr. Simpson, the musher of Kodi's team, was the one who was going to be the musher for these seven dogs. The lead harness belonged to Dingo - being the fastest and quite young. Dana and Tayer were behind him, with Kodi and Dusty behind these two, Kodi standing behind Tayer and Dusty behind Dana. Kirby and Ralph were put in the last two harnesses, with Ralph behind Kodi and Kirby behind Dusty.

All in all, before these seven dogs were getting ready to set off on a tough and a rough journey all across the heart of Alaska, facing the bitter cold of mother nature in Alaska, their families showed up. But they were used to the cold and the journey... was going to be easy, or at least it was seeming so. Knowing that these dogs had families and that they wanted to green them and wish them the best on the journey, he did see some of the farewells, the farewells that made Steele frown in sadness.

First, he could have seen Balto and Jenna there, greeting each of their sons Kodi and Dingo with the nuzzle and the emotional embrace, and them muttering the words: "Be safe out there." or "Stay united with each other.". They had done the same thing with Dana, whose family was in some other town out there, so of course, the embrace of her parents-in-law was in question. The same thing they'd done with Dusty, despite having her parents here. Indeed, Max and Molly, the former sled dogs and the parents of Dusty, both embraced their daughter passionately, Max especially, knowing how much she meant to him, ever since the day she had come to the world. Furthermore, they had given the same embrace to Kodi, who had been living under their roof since he was only two months old.

Watching these moments, Steele watched in remorse what they were doing. The enemies and the rivals of his... being the parents to the pups they loved and cared for... groomed them to be the proudest dogs in the entire town... something he could have never accomplish himself. Not only that, but noticing the bulkiest dogs of the team - Kirby and Ralph... despite their parents not there, Molly and Max were giving them a proper farewell as if they were their pups... but they were only living under the same roof as Kodi and Dusty...

But the emotions weren't coming to the end that soon. There he could have spotted Alice, Josh's older sister and bright red-furred female husky coming to Ralph, her mate. Giving his a proper farewell embrace, she had to move slowly as she was at this point highly pregnant. The question was... was Ralph going to make it home before he would get to see his five newborns. Speaking of mates and pups...

Tayer was standing next to Dana, and the ones who were bidding him farewell before the rough journey awaiting him and his teammates... were his siblings, Taiga, Rodney and Sarah. Either being embraced or patted in the back by them, he knew that they wanted him to be safe, because he was the most vulnerable of them all due to his age. Not to mention that Yang, Shira's mate and now the stepfather of Shira's pups, was embracing him like as if he was his own son. But Yang's real pups were waiting to come... Shira, who was among her pups and her new mate, had to move carefully too - as the triplets were awaiting to come to the world anytime soon. Holding her son in tight mother embrace, she could have been heard saying: "When this is all over, we are going to be one united and proud family!"

Looking at them and hearing the words that were coming out of Shira's words... was he really going to stay there and bid no farewell to his son before his journey?! Even a word of support would show that was not that cruel monster from long time ago. Marching slowly towards his family who, as soon as they spotted him, weren't really delighted to see him. But if he was going to say anything to Tayer... then it was going to count at least. With Tayer noticing his father's presence, he could hear him saying: "Tayer, I... I uh... I just wanted to tell you - stay strong on your journey."

However, the way he had said it... it felt bland and as if he was making a dinner that was not cooked properly... he felt the disappointment, considering the fact that the words that came out of his mouth... didn't sound like he was meaning it. However, seeing the looks of his pups, but Tayer, were actually surprised that Steele was saying these words... even that if they weren't delivered the best. Tayer, while showing some of the surprise on his face, just said emotionlessly: "I shall take that in mind, Steele. Considerably."

Considerably, considerably, considerably... That word kept repeating in loop in Steele's head. Saying that without a single bit of emotion - This was something that could have enlightened his mood, but instead, left a rather a bitter taste of disappointment in his mouth. Mr. Simpson, the lead musher, who was going to lead the sled team on that rough journey, took his position on the sled and the dogs were ready. Tayer just watched his father for a few moments before turning his head off, blandly. The scar on his cheek - the last thing he could have seen on his face before turning around - intensified his pain.

"You have done your best, but don't feel faltered yet." Yang, the mate of Shira currently, was the one who had delivered that line. The others around him, Steele's family, were having the looks on their faces, the looks that were trying to say: "You've done what you could have done.". They did actually feel some kind of disappointment that Tayer didn't give a proper goodbye to his father. Turning around to see the chosen team, the announcer had fired his gun - and the team finally set off on their long journey.

"Come on, mom. You have to go home and take the rest." Rodney told her mother, watching the team setting off on the journey to the far town of Nenana. Shira agreed on Rodney's recommendation and with the help of him and Yang, was making her way home safely. Sarah and Taiga, who were standing there, watched their father as if they wanted to tell him they were feeling bad for him about this - but they couldn't. Steele, who just looked down at the ground, thought to himself something, something that he could have felt and Balto could, six years ago: "Balto... he must have felt this miserable... when I was at the top of the game."

Taking the last few glances at his daughters, and then at the dogs, who were actually feeling like as if they wanted to express how bad they were feeling for him - but none of them could say it. Focusing down his sight on the ground, he just walked towards his home, as if he was being immobilized from his waist below, but he could walk. The journey to his home felt like hours and hours... the town was going to be saved, but he was not going to be the one who was going to save it. He had to face it - he was not going to save the town, but could he save the life of someone? That question rambled in his head as he made it to his house, with Mr. Hedison greeting him. Feeling miserable, he didn't want to show any affection towards Mr. Hedison, but just snuggled himself into the bed he was sleeping... and waited and waited to fall asleep...

With the days passing, with the hopes for the team to be home as soon as possible, the journey to the town to Nenana was going to last for few days. Everyday, the canines, including Steele, were following the news through the telegraph system. With the everyday, passing, just on the schedule - the team arrived the first day in the town of Koyuk, the second day in the town of Galena, the third day in the town of Tanana and finally... the fourth day... Nenana. All they had to do was to turn around and - set off on their journey home.

"It really means a lot to you to accomplish your life mission, doesn't it, Steele?" Jenna had asked him rather blandly, still being aware that his crimes were only partly forgiven. Steele just nodded slowly, knowing that his chances were gradually sinking... but weren't gone forever... The hope dies last... they'd say. Now, tomorrow, they could expect one thing - for the team to arrive back in the town of Tanana...

But... they didn't reach the town by the fifth day...

"What do you mean they haven't reached the town of Tanana by now?!" Steele, who had been following the telegraph system and was hoping for the team to be home soon, just asked the ones who were present there, expecting the telegraph from the town of Tanana to arrive - yet it hadn't arrived on schedule.

"Steele! Calm down! They may be delayed for an hour or two!" Yukon let him know not to panic yet. Sure, he himself was not genuinely pleased to find out that the telegraph hadn't arrived yet and the question was - where was the team. "I'm sure that they aren't being too far from the town. I'm sure the telegraph will be up by now!" However, the way he had said this was not encouraging at all.

As they waited and waited for the telegraph to arrive, even as the sun was setting - the telegraph about the arrival of the chosen team in the town of Tanana didn't even arrive. Not even by the time of the midnight! The dogs were feeling rather discouraged by that. What could have happened to the sled team?! What if they were lost out there, freezing?! That could have been the similar case what had happened to Steele six years ago...

Knowing it was too late out there, the dogs had decided to call it a night, with leaving Star out there to alert the others in case the telegraph was going to arrive. Returning home, Steele thought and thought deep inside himself... what could have been happening out there with the team? If Dingo was the leader, not to mention that his reputation was pretty high... what if he was experiencing the same thing Steele had - arrogance?

The news that had arrived the next morning... were even more discouraging. Star, who had spent the entire night up, let the others know that the telegraph still hadn't arrived. With the panic slowly harvesting into the souls of the dogs around, the despair was also being pretty high among them. Balto, who was now the leader of every crisis solving, deemed literally distressed. Two of his sons, and their mates, out there into unknown... what could have been happening to them? With thinking and thinking, Balto just spoke to everyone who were around: "Whether the telegraph arrives or not... be ready to set off for the rescue by the sunrise tomorrow. If it arrives, and if we find out how the team is doing... we are still going. Whoever wants to come, let me know!"

Did he hear right? Steele wondered... did Balto say that they were going for the rescue? All the way to the sole heart of the Alaska, to the coldest frosts on the world? If so... Steele thought to himself again... he was going to go... The town really needed the medicine, and the dogs there? They had families, even if not every of them had any family members in this town... but the sole thought of Tayer...

"Balto, I am going with you." Steele spoke the first of them all. That literally surprised the others around him, not believing that once Balto's archenemy was siding him Balto and was going to go to the harsh journey across Alaska. His son, Tayer, could be freezing out there, being the youngest and the most vulnerable there. Now that Tayer was loved by many in the town here... and that he wanted the pain in his claw and his life to end at once...

"Are you sure that you're not trying to fool us?!" Kaltag, who couldn't have come with anything to try angering him and end up making him a laughingstock all these months, had to ask him that question. He still waited for Balto to respond, but was then interrupted by Star, who just said: "Do you think that you can get your glory back, Steele?!" or even Nikki saying, before Balto had the chance to speak: "He's definitely trying to do the same if he was there!"

"DAMN IT, MY SON IS OUT THERE, POSSIBLY FREEZING ON THE OPEN! ENOUGH OF THAT!" Steele couldn't take it anymore, with his former cronies making fun of his mishaps from the year 1925, and his son Tayer, out there, in the heart of Alaska, was being exposed to the dangers. Realizing that he unleashed his anger, he looked at the others, with his look showing the utter shock. He didn't say it because they wanted to make him look like a laughingstock, but because his son was in a grave danger. But the others, who were in awe upon hearing that, weren't seemed to be really resentful at Steele. Not especially after hearing someone saying...

"Steele... if mom was here, you have no idea how pleased she'd be at you!" Rodney, who was there for some good time, was out of himself when he heard what his father had just yelled out. To hear his own father saying these words, actually caring for his younger brother, these were the words... the words his own father would have never said in his life before... but not that his father was the new dog... and that he genuinely cared for Tayer's safety... this was something entirely new!

"Steele." Balto, who had been trying to respond to Steele, but being interrupted by Nikki, Kaltag and Star, was actually touched by the fact that Steele wanted to go with him - and save his own son. Walking to him, without any support or protection, let him know the following, something that pumped Steele's hopes higher: "If you really want to save your son, then you may come with me. Who else is coming?!"

The question he asked seemed to be a bit "dumb", because the others around, as soon as they were offered the chance to go - accepted. Well, not everyone actually. Nikki, Kaltag and Star actually had decided to remain in Nome to analyse the events of the telegraph service. They were feeling a bit dumbed down - now that they managed to rile Steele up, they failed to make him a laughingstock, thus the joke was on them again.

With the day passing, awaiting for the telegraph to arrive, Balto let them know to get to the bet at sunset, as by the sunrise they were going to set off towards the cold heart of Alaska. But Steele, he could not sleep, not even after Mr. Hedison went early to the bed. If only there was a telegraph going to be sent before they were going to set off towards there, he'd have felt much easier. But there was something else that bothered him...

Shira... she was not this morning around the telegraph, nor she had heard him yelling in despair, considering the fact that once his former cronies were trying to anger him. She was resting home, with her pregnancy being high by that point. Her due was going to be soon, in a week or so, and her litter of the triplets with Yang... there were many thoughts circulating in Steele's head, mostly starting with the questions "What if...?"

No longer being able to handle these questions, Steele took off the worn out blanket off him and was ready to head to Shira's, but first, he had to make sure Mr. Hedison was fast asleep. Heading to his owner's room, he was sleeping as hard as the rock. Fair enough for Steele, meaning that he was going to sneak out now of the house - and head to Shira's house. Heading towards the dog doors, he silently opened them and walked off into the night.

The walk didn't take him very much, but since he had never been to Shira's house before, yet he knew where it was. Upon finding the house, it was a rather dimly-lit in the room. If Shira was still awake, he was going to talk to her real short, before actually heading to the bed. Finding the way in, which was nothing else but a dog door, he pushed it with his head and made it to the living room inside. As soon as he stepped in, he could have hear the voice saying: "I was wondering when you'd arrive."

"Shira?" Steele just asked immediately, recognizing her voice. It had to be hers, but her bittersweet tone she had been using at him... was no longer there. Instead, the tone she used was... as if she was relieved that he was there. Looking at Shira, who was resting in the bed in the corner of the room, but she was not alone. Yang, her current mate, was sitting by her side, but there were also Steele's pups, Taiga, Rodney and Sarah, sitting by the basket. "Shira, I have come to tell you something."

"I have heard from Rodney that you mentioned Tayer after losing the temper." Shira spoke with her tone that was hiding no impression, being astonished by the fact that for the first time in his life, he cared for Tayer and how badly he wanted to find him and save him. She beckoned with her paw to him to come closer, as she was trying not to risk anything, now that she was expecting her puppies to come son.

"Steele, come on!" Sarah told him, seeing that Steele was not moving an inch from his spot. His family, who had disowned him for his cruelty, was now looking at him as if he was the last hope concealed inside his body. But could he go there to Shira's basket? If he was already there... he had to do it... making his path to the basket, sitting on the opposite side of where the others were, Shira moved her body closer to the side where Steele is. Then, at the most unexpected moment, she just raised herself a bit, and... nuzzled him by his chest.

"Shira?!" Steele asked her, utterly astonished by Shira's actions, but none of the others present were actually shocked by that. Instead, they just smiled lightly on that, as if that was some part of their plan, whatever it could have been. But Steele couldn't say a word, because he had felt that Shira was stirring on his chest, more like trembling, because she was muttering the words such as: "If you... if you really meant it... then... then make sure that... that Tayer is going to be home alive...!"

Feeling the same emotional pain that was Shira feeling, Steele couldn't help it... he raised his right paw and wrapped it around Shira's shoulders. Now that he was the entirely new dog, the compassion was something that was never working inside his body, but now the compassion feeling his body, he actually felt so good about it. The others present were satisfied to even look at it. He just whispered: "If necessary, I am going to risk my life for him. At least there is something good I can go for."

"And as long as we others go, Shira, we are going to make sure we are going to be home before our puppies come." Yang said encouragingly, knowing that with Steele being on their side, this journey to the coldest colds of the Alaska might be much easier to attend. Still, it was not just a walk to the forest for them, but actually an adventure of their lives. If Steele was really going to risk his life, then there was one thing about him - despite his crimes, there was gold of the goodness inside the dirt of everything terrible he had ever done in his life.

"Alright, everyone. We need to get the early sleep before we set off on this journey tomorrow." Taiga alerted the others, knowing that as early as they were going to the bed, fresher they were going to be for this journey. The others started nodding, even Steele, after releasing Shira from his comforting embrace. With Rodney and Sarah already leaving, followed by Taiga and Yang, he had to turn around to let the others know the next thing, and that was: "Shira, as we are going to be absent, you are not going to be alone. Yin is going to take care of you here."

Shira, who had become better friends with Yin, ever since Shira herself had found out the truth, adored that idea. Not only that, but Yin was Yang's twin sister, which was making the things much better. With Yang and Taiga leaving the house, Steele, who was the last one to leave, commented: "If there is any good inside me to be known for, my only wish is that you would be kind enough to remember me for something good."

"I shall make sure of that." Shira, who had never had a pristine relationship with her first mate, was now sharing the genuinely caring relationship with him, yet they knew one thing - they were no longer for each other. Steele, nodding in process, left the house at last and headed back to his home. Entering his home as quietly as he was trying to, he sneaked in his warm bed, despite the material being worn out. Before he was sinking into his dreams, only to be awaken in the dawn of the next day, he learned something - whether he was going to save his son, or die trying, he was going to fully redeem himself at some point.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Gold in the Rough

The night, that was supposed to go on and on, so Steele and the others would be on their paws by dawn, seemed to be never-ending. Going that early to bed and the fact that the night dragged on, with the other fact that he could not fall asleep, was just frustrating him. What if he would end up remaining awake most of the night, then fall asleep just out of blue - only to wake up way too late - with the rescuers already on their way. Why out of all the nights out there, this one had to be the one that'd not let him fall asleep that easy?!

Thinking and thinking, whether his younger son was doing well on the journey or not, that was the thought that kept Steele wondering about his son's safety. Moving his sight at the right, he felt some odd sensation - the bed he was resting in was no longer warm, nor the blanket below him felt like a blanket. Looking below - it was not the beige blanket he was laying on, but something white and cold - snow. But how? How could the snow in his bed be there? Looking around the house slowly - the furniture was no longer there, it was replaced by the forests and the snowflakes falling around.

"What... what is this?!" Steele just had to ask himself, seeing that he was no longer in the house of his master, but in the wild of the Alaska. Looking a bit to his left, it looked like a snowed road, and there was some perfectly straight line passing nearby. Getting on all of his fours, Steele started following that line, not taking him too long to realize that it was a sled trail. Feeling some kind of energy flowing throughout his body, he had that feeling that he could run painlessly. Pacing faster and faster with every step he was making, he could have spotted a tall shadow in front of him, tall enough to be a human. Moreover, there were more energetic barking in front of that human - could it be...?

Suddenly, some kind of hissing was heard, with Steele actually stopping dead on his tracks. That hissing seemed rather piercing and a bit threatening as he was listening to it. Who was hissing at him and where it was coming from? With the shadow disappearing in the distance, Steele had perked with his ears in the distance to listen at the source of hissing. But that hissing was actually something else - someone was calling him. That voice, repeating... "Steele... Steele."

"STEELE!" The chanting was heard, this one being the loudest. That one startled Steele so much that he jumped a bit from the spot and blinked. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was back in his bed, in his house. It was just a dream, because he knew that he couldn't have been at the two different places at once. Perking with his ears in the distance, Steele was wondering, who was calling him in this hour... unless?

"Steele! Get up already!" That voice, that had been trying to call him for a while, belonged to Taiga, no doubts. Not objecting her command, Steele got on his front paws and noticed Taiga peeking through the dog doors. Looking at the nearest window, he had noticed that the sky on the east was shifting colors - from the pitch black to the violet and eventually brighter - it was dawning. That meant one thing - it was time to go. But, since Mr. Hedison was still sleeping, not knowing that his dog was going to be missing for a few days, he whispered to his oldest pup: "Gimme a minute or two, please."

"Okay, just hurry!" Taiga whispered once again, trying to have her father moving. Getting on all of his fours and out of his bed, Steele looked towards the bedroom, the same bedroom Mr. Hedison was sleeping. Feeling bad if he was going to the journey without feeling his touch, Steele just trotted to his room and noticing that Mr. Hedison was sleeping, with his hand being on the edge of the bed, Steele got there and snuggled his head against his master's hand. Stirring for a moment, Mr. Hedison used his hand to pat Steele's head few times before muttering: "Okay... Steele, go back to bed. It's still nighttime..."

"Master, I'm going to miss you..." Steele said, knowing that Mr. Hedison couldn't hear that, as he was human and the fact that humans could not talk with dogs. Feeling a bit relieved, Steele turned around and left his room. Instead of listening to his master, Steele did not return to his bed, but picked a piece of the dinner from the last night and headed towards the dog doors, chewing the leftover meat. Once he was outside, he saw that his daughter Taiga was awaiting him to follow him. She had just let him know: "Follow me, everyone's waiting on the beach."

"I'm after you." Steele agreed, following his daughter to the exact location. Even if it was dawning, the sight for Steele was actually very good to traverse through the dark. As soon as they had reached the outskirts of the town, right onto the beach, Taiga was not lying. The amount of the dogs there astonished Steele - there were so many of them! Yet, for the reason they were going. Families... Balto and Jenna, who were the main ones behind this expedition - were in front of everyone there.

"Well, if I'm not wrong, this means that we are all ready now." Balto spoke in the name of the entire team out there, with some of them resting down in the snow while being tired from getting up that early. No one objected getting up on their paws. Most of the companions out there were dogs, with the occasional wolf-dog, and even the wolves, such as Kenai, and his pups with Aleu - Tundra, Akiak, Denahi and Naia, were there. However, the smile on Balto's face could have indicated something good. Turning to Steele, he just let him know the following: "Steele, I have good news and bad news."

"Is it about the sled team?!" Steele immediately rushed with his question, willing to know what was happening to the team out there. Much to his delight, the others around were nodding, which just made Steele exhale in relief. Letting to someone else to talk about it, Balto had allowed to his grandson Dakotah, the son of Saba and Josh, red husky with patched up face and brown bandanna around his neck, to say: "Good news is that the telegraph had arrived from Tanana, with the team itself reaching it!"

These news literally made Steele exhale in relief even deeper, knowing that the team had reached their destination out there, out of the 1/4 of the journey to Nome. Still, the bad news were present and wondering what these could have been, he was about to ask, but was interrupted by Dakotah once again, saying: "But the bad news is... the team is a bit banged up from the journey home. They are having the problems on the way home."

"Which is pretty much the big reason why we have to rescue them." Alaska, the younger sister of Dakotah and the daughter of Saba and Josh, joined her brother by her side and patted him by his back, who just smiled delightfully at her. The two siblings were close to each other as they only had each other in the terms of the siblings. Feeling some kind of sad feeling, looking at the two young huskies, who were admired by their father from behind... if only he was a good father to his own pups.

Moreover, trying to focus on the rescue, Steele looked at the dogs around, scattered on the beach. Knowing that if he was going to ask the following, that'd have been the dumbest question he had ever asked. But the urge to ask was rather strong, with him turning his look at Balto. Trying to stay cool, he just asked him the following: "Sooo... are you leading us to find the missing team, Balto?"

"I am only leading us to the town of White Mountain." Balto had revealed him, which quite surprised Steele. If they were going on this long kind of the journey to find and rescue the missing team, with Balto being the best leader out there, then why he was doing the small chunk of the journey. Who was going to do the rest then? Kenai? He was the only pure wolf of them all - and not to forget that he had the most advanced senses and him going in the bitter cold of the Alaska was just a walk in the park. He just asked: "But who is leading us the rest?"

"That honor is going to the young one named Pierce." Jenna let him, know turning around to beckon the young husky to come. Observing the husky, he recognized him - the interesting mix of brown and cream fur and the wit coming from Pierce, he may have recalled why he had known him. While his attention was not the best that day, he had heard from Josh that Pierce moved from the town that was on the river Yukon, in the middle of Alaska to here. His first friends were Alaska, whom he had crush on, and her brother Dakotah, the reason why Dakotah had that bandanna in the first place. He hadn't seen him with it before.

"Well, you must be Steele if I'm right." Pierce, the young cream-brown husky spoke to the older malamute, who was delightfully amused by the appearance of this strange young fellow who was obviously not from Nome. Not that Pierce minded, but he had heard the story of Steele being explained to him when he had moved to Nome. Without wasting to much time, he looked at the others around him and let out of himself the decisive question, that being: "Are we ready for this?!"

"READY!" The simultaneous yell, coming from everyone possible out there, indicated the start of the journey and the rescue itself. Without many words being said, the dogs around Steele and everywhere else formed behind Balto, Jenna and Pierce, with Steele heading close to the front, while his pups were behind with their friends - Taiga being with Koda and his siblings, along with their maternal grandparents Max and Molly; Rodney being with Kiana and her siblings, along with their father and uncle Yang, being Rodney's stepfather; Sarah being with Phoenix and his siblings and parents. Looking at Galena, she was accompanied by her brothers, Kassan and Harath. Knowing that this was the journey of the life, Steele just spoke to Balto and Jenna: "I hope that even the sacrifice of mine is going to count... even if the town is going to be saved."

"As long as if it has to be done, then there is no doubt you're going to be remembered." Some of the others spoke, even Balto and Jenna. However, that was not the tone as if the others were trying to get rid of him, but were actually trusting him that he wanted to find the team, rescue them and save the town, showing he was actually caring and compassionate dog. Getting through the forest to get on the trail that was leading to the town of White Mountain, at least Steele could have smiled in delight that he was being given some support.

The journey to the town of White Mountain was just piece of cake, without any obstacles - in the form of the weather, nature or animals, on their way. Even if the town was few hours away from Nome, the time they spent to get there, as if it was quicker than they could possibly imagine. Furthermore, on their way there, upon passing the town of White Mountain, Steele could have seen his pups heading to the nearest cemetery, just near the church.

"Why the cemetery?" Steele, being surprised that three of his pups, who were on this journey, were heading to the cemetery, with the other obviously waiting there. Feeling intrigued, Steele had decided to follow them there and once he had reached the wall of the cemetery, there he could have see Taiga, Rodney and Sarah standing in front of the tombstone. With the small gap in-between the pups, there were the words that were saying the following: "In A Loving Memory of Sean - 1920-1928"

Sean... that name... that name was the name of Shira's first owner... Sean was resting underneath that tombstone... being only eight years old... that feel just made Steele feel the chills deep inside his spine... the kid that could have been living had the medicine arrived... Soon enough, after thinking and thinking, his pups had finally turned around and seeing Steele, they hadn't said much, just Sarah commenting: "If only mom got to see this, Steele..."

"What if...?" Steele wondered in his mind, knowing how much Shira was affectionate towards her owner Sean. No longer being there... that was the pain that would never heal in Shira's soul. With him following the pups towards the group of the rescuers, he had seen that there were some other canines joining the group... these canines... at least three of them, were rather familiar... a white Alaskan Malamute, the black wolf and the white-scarred canine... with the three scars on his eye... the old scars evoked.

When approaching the group, with Pierce assuming the leadership, Steele recognized who these were: Forrest, the Alaskan malamute, who was once a teammate of Dingo's, but got himself roasted by Dingo and Dana after they had beaten Dusty in the final race of the season 1928/29 in the act of retaliation. He ran away, only to work for Niju, for a short time, before the plan was foiled due to Forrest's change of heart. Now he was the mate of the black wolf named Angel, with a rather mysterious background, having pups with them. H was standing as far as he could... from Max and Molly, fearing their wrath...

Then there was this white-scarred canine, Winter being his name. A wolf-dog, the wolf being his father and the dog being his mother, who had followed his father's pawsteps into the wolf heritage, always rejected by the other wolves due to being a wolf-dog. Once, when he saw him for the first time, he had comforted him, Steele fighting Winter. The face-off was tough and was going in Winter's favor, but with Steele scarring him in the eye... just because he was a half-breed... now that was paining Steele a lot... knowing that scarring someone for a such reason was the crime... that couldn't have been let go that easily...

Anyways, with Pierce's leadership towards the cold heart of Alaska, where the team could have possibly been, they were making their progress towards the town of Koyuk, where they were going to sleep over and then, in the dawn, were on to set off towards the town of Galena, their second destination. If only the team was going to be there when they were going to arrive... Arriving to the town of Koyuk, which, funnily enough, bore the name of Jenna's father Koyuk, was a hospitable town for the dogs, finding the old shack in the outskirts to sleep over in...

He had that same dream again... running and running for the tall human-like shadow, that was being on hold of something, something that was panting and barking, in more than one of them. Sled dogs... it just had to be the chosen sled team... it had to be Mr. Simpson, yet the face remained unseen and the dogs were shrouded in the thick darkness. Even if he was running as fast as he could, seeing the light in the shadowy figures, he was starting to slow down... with him panting in despair: "Please, just some more! I want to see some more!"

"STEELE! STEELE!" The voice yelled from the distance and shuddering upon the mention of his name, Steele finally opened his eyes and came to realize he was in the town of Koyuk. It was none other else than his son Rodney, waking him up. Since it was dawning out there, all of the rescuers out there, consisting mostly of canines, with the addition of two polar bears, Muk and Luk being their names, and two snow geese, Boris and Stella being their names, were ready for the journey. Nodding automatically, Steele had gotten on all of his four, got out of the shack - and was ready to move on.

The journey towards the town of Galena was possibly going to be much easier... since they were nearing the river Yukon, which was very familiar to their lead dog Pierce. If only he was following the river Yukon during his journey during the Serum Run of 1925, things would have been much more different... now it was as if it was... nothing could have changed that. Suddenly, the silence, stirred up with the howling of the wind, was broken by the yelling behind.

Turning around, there he could have spotted the source of the ones who were yelling - Koda and his sister Tenana. The two were in some kind of heated argument with each other, with Allina looking at them quite upset and Ryan quite unsure. Taiga, who was a good friend of Koda and her siblings, was looking at them in shock and awe. Suddenly, out of blue, Allina, who was known for her peaceful personality, snapped at both of her older siblings. Then, she broke into the tears, with her younger brother Ryan comforting her. In process, Ryan scolded both of his older siblings, whereas Taiga just shook her head, full of the utter disappointment.

"Steele, excuse me." Jenna, who was in front of the rescue team, asked Steele to let her through, to get to her grandpups, hearing the heated argument between the two. Comforting her granddaughter Allina as soon as she was able to arrive there, he could have spotted Taiga coming towards the front, with each of the siblings going forward separately. Having the urge to ask, showing that he was rather caring, Steele looked at Taiga, asking her: "Taiga... what was that yelling behind? I hope you haven't got hurt..."

"Koda and Tenana had an argument... because of Kodi's bandanna. Now they had got Allina upset and Ryan being mad at them." Taiga let her father know, seeming to be rather distressed by her friends. Being good with each other, only to mess the things up over the bandanna. The yellow bandanna, given to Kodi by Dusty as the gift, the accessory Kodi didn't like, yet didn't want to hurt Dusty's feelings. Now that they were on the medicine delivery, Koda had brought it with himself to help his father feel warmer and better as soon as they were going to arrive... "For the sake of the cold hell, their parents are out there, battling the cold of Alaska, and they argue over a petty accessory?!" These thoughts utterly disgusted Steele... their parents, losing the battle against the wild... he just hoped they were all going to be alright.

By the evening, they had arrived to the town of Galena, thanks to Pierce's leadership. Finding the old abandoned house in the middle of the place, that was the ideal place for them all to sleep over. Even that there were numerous dogs out there to help the missing team, some of them were too exhausted to carry on going there, so they decided to remain in the town og Galena. Seeing Galena with her brothers, Steele felt some kind of the remorse towards the young female dog, knowing that her parents and her friend were still out there... he wanted to comfort her, but he had to keep up with his life mission first... Once that was going to be finished, he was going to hang out with whoever he wanted to and when. Then he could comfort her, but for now...

It happened again... that blasted dream, Steele chasing the human figure - Mr. Simpson, mushing the chosen sled team. He couldn't have seen musher's face due to the shadow covering it just like that. Even that he could hear the dogs panting and barking in front of himself, they were all shrouded by the darkness. Even if he was feeling little to no pain in his own body, he was still inferior in speed compared to the entire team together. With them mushing, Steele could have heard the familiar hissing and yelling... chanting his name.

"Steele! Wake up at once!" The nudge of his shoulder approved that theory of his, with that coming at his shoulder. Upon waking up in the old abandoned house of Galena, Steele realized that it was Sarah who had waken him up this time. Without much struggle, Steele had gotten on all of his fours. Then, Sarah just let him know: "Some of the rescuers here are going to stay in this town, the others will go find the team. Are you coming?"

"Of course I am coming!" Steele immediately agreed, knowing that in this new town, he was much closer to his son. But wait, hadn't Sarah just said that the team wasn't found yet, which would mean that the team hadn't passed through the town of Galena. He just had to ask her: "The team... they haven't been in this town yet?!"

"Not yet, the telegraph would have let us known they were here." Pierce, the lead rescue dog of them all and the dog who was originally from this town, let Steele know. The fact that the team hadn't reached this town made Steele feel the chills down his spine, but then again... if they were still out there... then the chance for the rescue was unavoidable this time. With the dogs that agreed to go - such as Balto, Jenna, Pierce, his own pups, Kodi's pups, Dusty's father Max, Dingo's pups, Josh and Dakotah, whereas Alaska was going to stay in the town, and Yang, Steele followed them outside, with the way leading to the east, where the team could have been on the tracks. The ones who were providing the better view were Aleu, Kenai and their pups, along with Forrest and Angel's pups. The journey was possibly the roughest one for these canines.

With them proceeding to the east, following the river Yukon, Steele was watching the ones that he was accompanying. He had to ask himself - to let the others know about the dream he was having... or not? If they were close enough to find the team, as the town of Tanana was laying in front of them as the next checkpoint for the sled team, then they had to be on their way. Looking anyone around, there he spotted Balto and Jenna on their way. The urge was too strong, making him ask: "Balto... Jenna... I have had a dream of the team..."

"What about them?!" Jenna, who was very concerned for both of her sons and the others in that team for days, suddenly yelled out that question. Any mention of the team, good or bad, would have easily triggered Jenna with the panic in her soul. She meant to bad intentions, but was rather frightened for the safeties of the team. She calmed down and asked the same question once again: "Sorry, what about them?"

"I keep running after the tall shadowy human... the musher... whose face I cannot see at all! I hear dogs barking and panting and as they move on... I lose them... I had that same dream for three days!" Steele went on to confess his entire team to them all, wanting to see what they were trying to say. If it was true, having the same dream for three days, with the others believing him, their hopes would be growing by now. Balto, intrigued by that dream, just went on to say: "If your dreams were showing one the same... then that means that the team is holding on well!"

"Grandpa Balto! Grandpa Balto, I see the town in the distance!" Naia, the youngest pup of Aleu and Kenai, the female white wolf, yelled to her grandfather to let him know what she was seeing. Seeing the white wolf... Steele did wince a bit... ever since that encounter with Balto's mother few months ago... but now he was the entirely different dog. The fear was no more... With the others asking what town was it, Pierce broke their talk with his sentence: "It's the town of Ruby!"

"Ruby?! That is where my sister Audrey and my son Katmai live!" Max, who had heard what town they were heading in, yelled that out, being entirely surprised and delighted. But for Steele... Audrey, Max's sister, dark brown as him, with the dark brown patch on her nose... she had a crush on him before leaving the children of Nome to die... now that she was there, she was definitely going to hurt him, out of the retaliation and everything... "May I suggest that you others go wait us on the other end of the town before I get these two?!"

"Alright, but keep it quick, Max!" Pierce, who was leading the team of the rescuers, allowed Max to get his sister in the town, and his son Katmai, who was also Dusty's older brother. Even that they were going across the town to the eastern end of it, the encounter between Steele and Audrey was going to be unavoidable and if she was still mad at him... the bad consequences were going to await him... unless... With these thoughts circulating in his head, the rescue team headed to the eastern end of the town, whereas Max headed into the town.

This waiting, which was minutes long, were as quick as the seconds were. Max indeed returned to the town very fast, with the two dogs following him joyfully. The younger one, the gray male, was Katmai, Max's oldest pup and Dusty's older brother. The older one, dark brown with the dark brown patch on her nose, was Audrey, once a dog who had a crush on him... now the story was entirely different to talk about.

"If I'm not wrong, I can see some of the familiar faces!" Audrey, who had known Balto and Jenna for a while, even though she was rather mean at Balto and had no pristine relationship with Jenna until Balto had saved the town. With her meeting her great-nephews and great-nieces there, who were still looking roughly from the argument yesterday, she had finally spotted Steele. However, her delighted and joyful face was changed with the mad and shocked face... seeing that she once had a crush on that malamute.

"MAX?! What is *HE* doing here?!" Audrey growled in anger, seeing that the ex-crush of her life was a fraud and the monster, with her not knowing that Steele indeed had changed. Feeling the menace from that female, Steele was about to start backing up. In the last second, Max and Balto put both of their paws on her shoulders, preventing her to attack Steele. She was about to object for being prevented to attack him, with Max saying: "AUDREY! Take it easy! Steele is no longer that heartless egoistical monster! I am telling you, he has changed!"

"Still, I need to teach him a lesson for being a filthy cheater!" Audrey resisted while she was being held down by both her brother and her brother-in-law. She kept saying some words, such as "Glory hound" and "arrogant mutt". With her spitting these words out, without making any progress to the east, Steele couldn't stand it anymore, yet he was going to work on this easy way, by telling Audrey: "Audrey, listen to your brother, we must go!"

"I am not going anywhere with you! If you weren't here, I'd gladly save my niece now!" Audrey snapped at him once again, showing the great detest at that malamute. Now that she was not ready to cooperate, yet wanted to help her niece Dusty... Steele said something, something that Audrey would have never believed coming from his mouth: "If you still want to snap at me for the crimes I have done, go ahead. I am going to find the team, because I AM NOT GOING TO LET MY SON FREEZE TO DEATH! I AM NOT GOING TO LEAVE BALTO'S SONS TO FREEZE TO DEATH! I AM NOT GOING TO LET YOUR NIECE AND THEIR FRIENDS FREEZE TO DEATH! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! THEY NEED US, *RIGHT* NOW!"

With these words ranted straight into her face, Audrey was not expecting that her ex-crush was going to say these words, but seeing that there were no other options for the rescuers out there and that the precious time was burning, she kept watching him in surprise until when she was able to speak once again, with her tone being serious and determined, saying: "If you are meaning all these words you have just told me - I shall keep you for the word. Make sure you are going to do that!" With these said, she and Katmai were ready to join the team.

Suddenly, Akiak, son of Aleu and Kenai, known for the exact same looks as his own father, was seen sprinting towards the rescuers after he went on to scout ahead on their path. With some indistinguishable words coming from his mouth, Kenai was looking at his quite confused, him muttering some words out of blue. Placing his paw at his shoulder, Kenai had shaken his son in order to be able to hear his words better, with Kenai shouting in the wind: "Aki! Calm DOWN! What have you seen there?!"

"Dad... mom... everyone! I saw someone in the distance! Tall and long!" Aki finally finished with his words, being able to mutter out something that was understood by the others. Upon hearing these words "tall" and "long", knowing it might be belonging to none other else than to the lost team, Steele was out of himself as he was shouting: "It has to be the team! Come on!"

"Hang on, Steele!" Balto, surprised by his immediate reaction, tried to hold him off for a while before the others were able to move, but it was too late. If the team was really out there, then there was no time to waste, he had to save his son at once! Following the snowy path that was leading towards east, Steele was just ignoring the shouting behind himself as he was ready to come across the team... and if possible, trying to save someone... Seeing the tall and long shadowy figure in front of himself... it was matching the description from the dream he had been having for days.

"It's the team, COME ON!" Steele yelled to the others to let them know that they were indeed seeing the chosen team in front of them. Running there to see if that was really the team they'd been looking for... but something was not right out there... upon coming closer to have a better view, that WAS a sled team sent from Nome to Nenana and back, but out of the seven dogs, three of them were not in their harnesses. That was something that made Steele's eyes widen in shock and awe.

"It IS the team!" Aleu, who was serving as the scout-ahead, like her mate and the pups, along with Angel and her pups, was now sure that the shadow they had been seeing was indeed the sled team. But the joy was quickly flushed by the shock as the others, who had managed to get there real quick, noticed that three of the seven dogs were not in their harnesses. Trying to remember the formation the team had before leaving one week ago, Balto had realized something - the harnesses that had Kodi, Tayer and Ralph, were empty.

"No! KODI!" Balto yelled out of the shock, fearing that Kodi was in fact, a goner... but as soon as he was close enough to the sled team, he had seen some bumps on the sled itself. Just in front of the medical box, there was a copper-red husky laying in it - without moving. His eyes were shut and his mouth was open, barely enough for the air to come in and out. Just as the dread was flowing through his body, Balto could have heard the yelling from Dusty, who was still in her harness, yet the frost was depositing around her face: "BALTO! Kodi is not dead, just merely unconscious!"

"Dusty! I can't believe it!" The other male voice was heard yelling, that one belonging to Max. He rushed as quick as flash to embrace his beloved daughter, assuring her that she was going to be alright soon. Moreover, Katmai and Audrey rushed in to her embrace, but the looks on her face were saying that she was having no clue about the dogs embracing her. The terrifying silence was broken with Josh's yell in the distance, being followed by his son Dakotah: "Ralph! OH MY GOODNESS! RALPH! Talk to me!"

Spotting the fat gray Alaskan malamute next to Kodi, he was unconscious, but was moaning painfully - the reason was that his wound was freshly opened on his front left leg, with the tears that were coming out of his eyes to turn into the ice. With Steele watching that scene, he was panicking to find Tayer - the most vulnerable member of the entire team - with Tayer's siblings, Galena, Kassan and Harath searching for him nearby. They couldn't just have gotten rid of him... Tayer was enjoying the high reputation...

"Dad, take this, now!" Dakotah, who was carrying the brown bandanna around his neck, the gift from both his sister Alaska and her friend Pierce, untied it from himself. Knowing that they were out of the proper medical resources, Josh had taken the bandanna from Dakotah's mouth and used it as the improvised bandage to cover the nasty wound that was slowly infecting Ralph's paw. Ralph had stopped with his moaning, yet was whimpering inside himself, knowing that the pain combined with the cruel cold of the Alaska was just salting his wound.

"TAYER!" The scream of female, coming from no one else than Galena, could have been heard, with Steele immediately feeling triggered upon that scream. Seeing some of the rescuers on his way, he just shouted in panic: "Out of my way! It's MY SON!" with the others making path for Steele immediately. Noticing that Galena's eyes were watering in shock and sadness, Steele had turned his head towards the place she was looking at - and gasped in shock upon the sight.

It was indeed Tayer, but like Kodi, was being intact. His eyes were tightly shut and the mouth was opened enough for the air to enter and come out. Now that the frost was depositing on his scar, with the pain in Steele's claw increasing slowly, the pictures flashing in his head... it all resulted in the terrifying scream coming from the malamute himself. Putting his paw on the back of Tayer's, with the intention of rubbing in as hard as he could, the despair was heard in Steele's sound as he was saying: "Tayer! TAYER! I know you are still there! I know you are not away, don't do this to us! Not to your father, not to your mother, not to your siblings and NOT TO YOUR FRIENDS!"

"Steele! We must get them to the town of Galena now!" Yang, who was also present there, was very desperate. Back in the town of Nome, he had promised to his mate Shira - he was going to make sure her youngest son was going to return to Nome alive and well. But Steele did not want to let his youngest son go - he also had the intention to bring him home safely and alive. Rubbing his back as hard as he could, breathing every second to assure himself that his son, who saw Steele as the stranger, was going to be alive and well, started yelling: "COME ON, TAYER! I! SAID! COME! ON!"

With the despair and rubbing his hard as hard as he could, he had felt the stirring below his paws. The stirring was followed by the cough and Tayer's eyes opened barely, only to be shut again, but the breathing was felt. Backing up for a moment to see the income - he was alive! Steele was breathing triumphantly, making sure that he managed to make Tayer come to his senses a bit. Looking to his right, he had spotted that Ralph was peacefully resting on the sled. Even Kodi, who was knocked unconscious, was also breathing, like Tayer, with Jenna making sure her youngest son was still active.

"Steele! I cannot believe it!" The two voices, from his left and his right, were heard coming to him. Before he could see who were the ones who said that, he was being patted by both Balto and Yang, with both being out of themselves that Steele had something no one would have ever believed - he actually cared for his son and his own safety - now he needed some hospitality, but what town it was going to be given to him.

"Move, we have to get to the town of GALENA!" The scream, sounding like someone commanding to the others - being very familiar to him, Taiga. Since she was the oldest, the others were rather used to her commanding, but seeing that the town to Ruby was closer, Steele just yelled to her: "TAIGA! YOU GOTTA TAKE THE TEAM TO THE TOWN OF RUBY! THESE DOGS NEED TO BE TAKEN UNDER CARE!"

"We can't settle up in the town of Ruby! We must move to the town of Galena!" Kirby, who was being behind, standing next to Ralph, was knowing that once they were going to be in the town of Galena, they were going to be settled in there. The town Ruby was not awaiting the team to settle them in the shelter - instead, they had to head to the town of Galena and make sure the dogs who were injured, were going to be settled in.

"Please, run as fast as you can! Kodi, Ralph and Tayer need the help and hospitality!" Steele yelled to the team as they were going there. His eyes were watering in dread, wondering whether not only his son was going to make it, but Balto's son and his friend... or not. With Taiga, Rodney and Sarah assuming the places in the team and mushing the team, with Mr. Simpson, who had been holding himself in the crouching position, was surprised that they were mushing faster and faster. It was a miracle, a miracle that the rescue dogs were awaiting to happen, following the sled team.

The run to the town of Galena, which might have been one hour long and might have been giving the impression of taking longer than it should be... but thankfully, it went as quick as the flash. Looking at the injured dogs, the three of them - Steele, Josh and Balto - were making sure that the patients were remaining alive, checking on their pulse and breathing conditions. Thankfully, Kodi and Tayer, despite not being awake, were breathing, but Tayer's breathing was weaker than Kodi's. Ralph, while whimpering, was now feeling much more comfortable.

"Look! IT'S THE SLED TEAM OF NOME!" The shouting was heard from the distance, over-sounding the wind howl from around there. Looking in front of them, the others had spotted that they were there - in the town of Galena at last! The humans, one yielding a lantern, was beckoning to Mr. Simpson in the distance to pull over, with the another one running to the nearest house - revealing to be a telegraph office in the town of Galena. The other humans, noticing the team, gasped upon seeing the condition of the sled dogs.

The injured ones on the sled were the ones that shocked them the most, but at the same time, seeing Rodney, Sarah and Taiga being just fine in their harnesses had them confused, with Mr. Simpson explaining to them that these dogs had just showed out of nowhere and were aiding them all the way to here. Seeing that these dogs needed some aid, the human that was yielding a lantern waved with his free hand - letting the others know that his house could be a shelter for the entire team.

"Dingo, Dana, Dusty, Kirby, follow me!" Mr. Simpson, after having a tough time releasing the dogs from the harnesses, noticing how much frost had deposited on their furs, led them to the house of the man with the lantern, being the exactly the same one that was the nearest. But, the injured dogs, who couldn't move, weren't left behind. One of the humans managed to get hold of Kodi and embrace him tightly to provide some warmth as he was carrying the poor copper red husky to the house. Then, the other one held and embraced Tayer, noticing that his breathing was slower than Kodi's. Two humans had to carefully carry Ralph due to his weight and the wound on his paw.

Watching the dogs going inside, with the other human helping Mr. Simpson to treat him medically, the rescue dogs had spotted that and wanted to do one thing - go inside and check how these dogs were doing. However, as they were approaching the doors of that house - the lantern man shut the doors and seeing the dogs that were trying to come in, he just had let them know: "Not now. These dogs need some treatment and rest."

"But... but..." Steele, after reviving his son from the ice cold of the winter and making sure his son was living... could not do anything but to watch at the doors that were standing shut in front of him. Now that they were going to be safe... Steele had just raised on his back legs and used his claws to scratch the doors - he had to go in, he had to see his son! But the pain in his claw was not letting go, with him quitting after the third attempt. The owner of the house had just said: "There's nothing you can do here, boy... not until we see what's going to be with them."

With Balto, Jenna, Steele, Max, Molly, Audrey, Katmai, Josh, Pierce and many others sitting there, wondering what was going to happen, the panic was intensifying rapidly... these dogs were in need for the treatment, but where in the world would be the vet?! This was the town that was fifteen times smaller in the amount of the population... But the hope didn't fade away immediately as soon as they could have heard someone yelling: "Where could they be? Let me through!"

It had to be a vet, but with the regular clothes like anyone else wearing these, especially typical for the Alaskan territory, no one was going for it that human would be the vet. But the bag that he was carrying, with the green cross engraved on the bag, then it was entirely different idea to talk about. With the house owner letting the vet in, the dogs were trying to follow them in, but with the doors being quickly shut, that just had to leave the bitter taste of the disappointment of them all.

"Now that we had all gone throughout this rough journey... I wonder if we're going to have a chance to see them closely..." Yang, who had made a promise to Shira few days ago, did not want to fret yet - he had to make sure that her youngest pup Tayer was going to come alive and well - the sole idea of Tayer not making it out would devastate the poor husky, as well as the others would be devastated and much to the surprise of the others... even Steele was feeling the uncontrollable sense of dread on that sole thought.

Then, Mr. Simpson, who had received the proper treatment from the local doctor, had been given a word of his sled dogs taking the rest in the house. It had taken some time for his to be given a treatment, but as he was knocking on the doors of the house, the voice was heard from the inside, with the vet saying: "We shall be done in a few minutes, hang on!"

"But what are the news coming of them!?" Molly yelled in despair, seeing in what condition the entire team was, or at least Kodi's teammates in general. Even though that Dusty was her original family, being her biological daughter, she had treated Kodi, Ralph and Kirby as her own sons, Kodi especially. The reason for being the most motherly-like to Kodi was because of the friendship between her, Jenna and Balto since the puppy days of theirs. Soon enough, with these minutes passing on, the doors opened, with the vet coming out. But the doors weren't fully shut. Instead, these were barely opened.

"Well, sir, what are the news?!" Mr. Simpson asked the vet in the matter of the moments, wanting to know whether his journey home was going to be slowed down by the injuries of his dogs or not. The light smile on the vet's face was, thankfully, indicating that the news were rather good coming from the vet. That light smile coming from the vet actually made the dogs feeling a bit relieved. "How are my dogs? How are Kodi, Ralph and Tayer?!"

"I am not sure which one is which, but the news are good, or at least they seem so." The vet said quite encouragingly. Looking at the dogs that had headed off from the town of Nome towards there to find and help the lost sled team. Then he started moving on: "The dogs that had been in the harnesses, despite the frost, are going to recover quickly - though I recommend using the ones that had come out of nowhere, and now... the injured ones."

"Jenna, listen!" Balto, who had been awaiting to hear the news coming from the vet, whispered to Jenna. Now that the news were coming, he was going to know how the youngest son of his was doing. The vet started: "The copper red husky, despite him passing out of the exhaustion, or at least it seems like so, is going to be fine. Though I recommend not using him for the mushing. The fat gray malamute is definitely not going to mush back home - the injury on his paw proves that. But he is doing well now."

"But what about Tayer?!" The dogs, such as Taiga, Sarah, Steele and Rodney, who were anticipating to hear the news of the youngest member of their family to be spoken about... the impatience was just growing high in-between them. The vet, after exhaling and inhaling the air, just said: "But the young black dog... it's like with the red one, but he's showing less of the vital signals... I cannot be sure about him, for now. He must have hit his head somewhere..." With these words said, the vet waved with his hand lightly and walked off home.

"Alright, if you dogs out there are somewhat related to each other, then I may let you in, one by one." The owner of the house spoke to the dogs, leaving the doors to be slightly open. With the opportunity being given to the one, anyone could have gone in there and have the opportunity to be with their friends and families inside who were injured. As Balto and Jenna were about to go in there first, they were surprised as soon as Steele made few steps ahead. Realizing that he had taken away the advantage to the ones who deserved to go in first, he backed up, feeling remorsefully for his unintentional action.

"You want to see Tayer, don't you?" Rodney asked immediately upon seeing his father's actions. His voice was not strict or mean in any way, but it was a rather supportive and a compassionate one, witnessing Steele's actions from one hour ago. With him looking at his older son, who was looking at his sisters, Balto, Jenna and the others that were around, they nodded in a some kind of approval. Looking at his father again, he just let him know: "Alright, you may go inside, but we'll be watching you just cause."

"Alright... alright... just let me go in..." Steele whispered with the tone consisting the bunch of the emotions and panic. Was his son going to make it, or it was all in vain...? How was he even doing? The doors in front of him, opened slightly, gave him the opportunity to come it and without thinking twice, he had taken that opportunity. He had shown no care that his first three pups were running to the windows that were giving the good view on the room. Let it be, he thought in his head, his son was in need for life...

Spotting the large room, with the baskets mostly filling in the room, giving the impression that the owner of his house was a mere carpenter, especially that the wooden material that could have been seen inside were nicely created and even better decorated. All of the seven dogs were sleeping, or at least it seemed like so. Dana, Dingo, Dusty, Kirby... were fast asleep in their baskets. The moan coming from the nearest basket indicated that Ralph was sleeping in there. Kodi was just on the other side of the room, sleeping peacefully and his breathing was accurate enough.

Then, he had spotted his son, laying in the nearest basket, near the fireplace. His breathing was much slower than it was supposed to be. His baby boy, the one he had never liked before, being at the gates of death, without knowing that his own father, as estranged as they were with each other, was standing near him. What was going to happen to Tayer... was he going to make it, was his back-rubbing strong enough to make him breathe? What if he was not going to make it... what if Shira was going to find out that her youngest baby... was no longer with them?

Suddenly, feeling the strong wave of the emotions in his body, flowing as fast they could. Using the paw, the one that had the scar that had pierced Tayer's cheek almost the year ago, he put it on his son's chest. The heart was beating weakly, much weaker then it was supposed to. Now that his son was having little to no chance of waking up the next morning, he had done something that made the shadows seen on the window gasp in an astonishment - he laid his head on his son's neck, and embraced him carefully, as careful as he could.

With the embrace, the tears in the eyes of malamute, that seemed like as if they were the first ones who actually come from the malamute's eyes, formed and with the trembling that was just uncontrollable for him. Being choked on his own tears, holding his baby son in the embrace, the cries coming out of him were quite heartbreaking to listen, followed by the barely distinguishable words, such as: "Tayer... Tayer... I don't know if you can hear me... it is me, your father..."

Saying these words, finally looking at Tayer as his own son, who was not able to hear his words. With the flows of the emotions being faster and fiercer, the next words that was Steele saying were a bit muttered off, but were audible enough to be heard from the outside: "I am so... I am so sorry, TAYER! I am so sorry for giving you the undeserved pain, for scarring you for the life! I am sorry for every pain that I had caused to you and the entire family! I am sorry for everyone to whom I had given my pain! I am so sorry if you don't wake up!"

The shadows out there, looking through the window in the house inside, were absolutely out of the words upon these words coming from his mouth. That emotional embrace, these tears coming from his eyes, that confession, full of remorse and compassion, was piercing through the heads of the witnesses. They were knowing one thing - Steele was fully redeeming himself in there. More words were coming from his mouth, with the combination of the tears flowing down his cheeks, saying: "If you never wake up... and if that medicine does return home... but without you... I am never going to forgive myself... I am always going to be haunted by this if it happens... It won't be the same..."

Suddenly, with these words being said, there was some kind of odd sensation flowing throughout his body - but a really good kind of odd sensation. The claw, that had been piercing him for his ethical mistakes, was starting to give up on the pain gradually. Was it happening at last? The pain, that was dragging his soul towards the bottom for clawing his son in the cheek, was fading - it was happening at last! He had known that the ones who were outside, and heard him muttering these remorseful words, they had heard him that all these words he had been saying - he was meaning it.

Holding Tayer in a tight fatherly embrace, he was letting the tears of the remorse and redemption go down, right on Tayer's scar. However, with these tears touching his scar... something miraculously was happening. Tayer's pulse and the breathing - these were gradually raising, with Tayer finally being able to breath normally. All in all, he was still fast asleep, but there was something that was looking like the biggest life victory - Tayer was going to make it!

"It's a miracle! A MIRACLE!" The words that were coming out of his mouth were no longer hiding euphoria, with Tayer miraculously recovering. Still, with his voice raised, Steele had immediately backed up with his words, knowing that there were dogs inside who were resting. Thankfully, after looking at the dogs in the beds who were resting, none of them had waken up at all. That made him exhale in relief after making a frankly dumb mistake. Not to mention that the shadows on the window had left - to let the others know.

After a few minutes of cradling his baby son on his chest, with Steele humming in order to provide some relief in this atmosphere. He was now feeling the pleasure - but not the twisted pleasure he had been enjoying previously in his life - but the ethically good pleasure. Knowing that his son was needing to sleep now, he carefully broke off the embrace and gently put him down to sleep in the bed. After that, he had gotten on all of his fours and headed towards the doors - knowing that there were the others who wanted to see how the other dogs were doing too. After all, they were a family.

With him exiting the house, the crowd that was standing in front of the house was more or less the same in quantity, but there was something different. Sure, the worries for the dogs inside was still present, but the fact that what he had said inside was now spread to the others. The looks on their faces - these were oozing the happiness and pride towards Steele, who was quite surprised to see it, urging him to ask: "Guys... what the...?"

"We've heard absolutely everything!" Taiga, who had returned with her brother and sister to the crowd, exclaimed cheerfully. Before her father could do anything, he was taken off the guard as soon as Taiga and Sarah rushed to embrace him, something that no one would have ever expected to happen. After all this time, he was finally being given the attention from his family, in the form of the back patting when Rodney came to his side. The others around were cheering pretty much.

"You were meaning every single letter you were saying to him, haven't you?" Yang was the one who just had to ask him that question. And he was right, because Steele wasn't just pretending to care for Tayer, but was feeling rather odd, yet satisfied for his actions. Now that was all on the others to speak... were they finally going to cut off the chains from his soul, reminding him that half of his crimes weren't forgiven yet.

"Showing to us all that for your compassion and the fact you were willing to sacrifice yourself to ensure your son was living..." Balto stood out of the crowd, watching at the malamute in front of himself. The same one who used to bully him from the puppy days, left the children to die, used his own family against him, brought the problems once he was back in Nome... and eventually realizing he was dragging the past with himself... that just let Balto say: "...Steele, you have proved yourself a lot. For a such thing - all of your crimes are forgiven!"

"Wait... really?!" Steele, who was expecting that to happen, was still a bit genuinely surprised by that coming. In order to fully redeem himself, he had to save the town of Nome or to save someone's life - and that was none other else than Tayer. Leaving it be, he was receiving some of more cheers and with that happening, all that could he thought of was to get some private time for himself and fall asleep at once. As if he was not sleeping for days...

"Now get some rest where we all slept." Jenna beckoned him to go sleep into the same house they had settled in to continue their search. Realizing that they were going to see the sled dogs resting inside, he just smiled in a very friendly manner and accepted Jenna's offer. While Balto and Jenna had decided to head inside, just to make sure how they were doing, Steele had pushed the doors of the house and once he was inside, he had found himself a quite comfortable spot to sleep at.

As he was feeling like as if he hadn't been sleeping for days, it didn't take him too long to fall asleep. In fact, as soon as his head had touched the worn-out pillow on the floor, he had fallen asleep. The better, he was thinking, as he was doing something great in his life - making the first steps to his new life entirely. He had been forgiven for his crimes, he had changed a lot - he felt like as if he was the greatest dog in the world... yet he couldn't exaggerate that much...

Moreover, his dream was no longer that chase dream where he was going after the sled team that was shrouded in the shadows. Instead, it was just the snow terrain in front of him, with even more snow falling. Making few steps ahead, there was a white figure, the canine to be specific. Looking closely, it was the white wolf and judging by the size of that wolf - it was a large one and while it had been a while since he'd seen that wolf, she just spoke: "You have used your chance well, Steele. You have done it."

"I know... I know it that I could do it... Aniu..." Steele spoke with his soft voice, being quite satisfied that he had abandoned his wretched and arrogant life behind himself. He had learned fully to abandon his past life and walk straight into the present life, with the good views for him in the future life. With Aniu placing her paw on his back, he was feeling even better sensation flowing throughout his body. He was now fully redeemed dog, cleared off his crimes... now all that mattered to him was to have Tayer be awaken tomorrow...


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Someone Special

The next morning, as anticipated as ever in his life, the new life he was now in... thankfully, had arrived not too late. In fact, if it had arrived earlier, that'd have been better for Steele. Now that he had learned how to care for the others, his son especially, this new life, the sole sensation flowing in his veins... He was feeling very good, and in fact, as if he was on the top of the world, but unlike the previous times in his life, he felt like being this time on the top of the world was something right for him.

"Oi, Steele! Rise and shine!" The voice had called him, and him being awake earlier than usual was more or less containing the same feel. That voice had belonged to the young Pierce, their guide, who originated from this town - and never seemed to be troubled by Steele's antics, not even after he had killed his pride off to make room for something new - heart. Knowing what would this mean, Steele just stretched himself across the bed and asked: "Hey, kid? When can we go see the dogs in that house?"

"Well, since some of us are already there, then why're you wasting time here?" Pierce asked him jokingly, finding this scene rather amusing and something that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Even the fact that they were going to stay in this town till the dawn of the next day, there were still plenty of things to do. Now that he had heard some of the dogs had already gone to that house to see how they were the chosen team doing, he had decided to do the same thing. Only question was - did Tayer manage to wake up?

"Hang on, I am coming!" Steele barked out of the pure joy, exiting the house they had been settled in for the night, leaving the young Pierce behind. The smile on the cream-brown husky never faded as he was heading towards the house down the road. The reason for a such thing lied in the fact that, as mentioned before, he was born in this town and that he was going to see his mother Helen, where his girlfriend Alaska was waiting for him to come.

Heading to that house where the sled dogs had been settled in to recover, they were opened a bit. But now there was a difference from the night before - the voices, and the tones of the voices such as relief and joy were heard coming from there. Knowing that this was as good as it was getting, Steele pushed the doors with his muzzle and once making to the living room, he had been pleasantly surprised by the scenario in there.

All the dogs from the chosen sled team were awake, with them talking to the certain dogs. Kodi was now awake, wearing the yellow bandanna given by Koda all the way from Nome. Speaking of Koda and his siblings - they were talking to each other again, with Kodi, Dusty and Taiga watching them delightfully. They had made it out with each other at last - and their parents must have been happy for so.

Dingo and Galena were in their beds, with Dingo keeping on his cheerful smile despite being exhausted from the night before. Dana was also seeming quite lively and relaxed from the running for the past few days. Looking at Kirby and Ralph... Molly was embracing Kirby, as if he was her son, with him rolling his eyes and blushing at the same time. Ralph, despite his paw injury, kept the optimism as he was carefully embracing his nephew Dakotah, with Josh looking at the proudly.

Then, after looking through these dogs, he was wondering... where could have Tayer been? And who was taking care of him now? These questions were answered as soon as the three black dogs, Taiga, Rodney and Sarah, accompanied by one plum red female, one red brown male and one brownish gray male, Galena, Kassan and Harath being their names, were standing in front of the basket, with Galena eventually going into that same basket - in order to look after her beloved boyfriend Tayer after sustaining a head injury.

"Oh, at last!" Taiga, who had spotted the presence of her father on the edge of her eyes, was delighted to see her father. Seeing him completely reformed and cleared off every crime he had committed in his life before, now he was the part of the community, the malamute that was oozing the compassion, friendliness and kindness. Making his way through to Taiga, who allowed him to step in front of Tayer's basket. Tayer, who had been smiling cheerfully to be surrounded by his family and friends, had his smile faded as soon as he had seen his father coming.

"Wait... what is he doing here...?!" Tayer, having the plum in his throat, was quite shocked to see his own father standing in front of his basket. He had himself cuddled closer to Galena, yet she was smiling as if there was nothing happening out of the place. But seeing that the others were also behaving like Galena, completely careless by malamute's presence, he had noticed that there was something rather peculiar. That had urged him to ask: "What is going on in here...?"

"Tayer, my brother, you are not going to believe what happened last night." Rodney, after making sure that their father was standing just aside of them, placed his paw around Tayer's shoulders and let him know why there was nothing to worry about. Noticing his father's careless emotions now that Steele was present - with the others being actually glad he was among them. "It was Steele..."

"What about him?" Tayer asked, wondering what had his father done. Was it something that was actually harmless? What was the thing that Steele had done, and had he done that to him? With these thoughts in his head, Sarah started narrating in the name of all: "It all started when we had found you near the town of Ruby..."

With Sarah narrating her story, how they had managed to find the team in a really bad condition, Tayer's condition being the worst, how he was partly revived by Steele, brought to this very house and treated the best way possible. Then how after his treatment was done, oozing very little success, how Steele received a heavy emotional breakdown and ended up crying over his body, apologizing to him for being a terrible father and how she, Rodney and Taiga heard everything. Then they had revealed how they had him cleared off the crimes and the fact that he was fully reformed malamute.

"And now, it is on you. You choose whether you accept this or not, Tayer." Galena, in whose chest was buried Tayer's head and he was watching her from below, whispered him softly. Looking at his siblings, then at his friends and then at last, at Steele. He could not believe it, not a single moment. His father, after all this time of abuse, isolation and remorse, ended up apologizing to him in the very deep regret sustained inside his body. If that was true... that would have explained that he was feeling much better then he should have.

"Steele..." Tayer whispered, getting his head off Galena's chest carefully. He had turned himself towards his father very carefully and watched him for what it seemed like a minute. With the siblings and friends beside the best smiling and giving him the support, he made his move. The move he had made was towards Steele and in the next moment, his head was under Steele's chin, indicating one thing - he was nuzzling his father out of the affection and joy. That was something that made Steele stop his breath for a moment, out of the astonishment. But with Tayer's cheerful laugh, he could also laugh cheerfully as soon as he was hearing the words coming out of Tayer's mouth, saying: "You've done it! You have actually done it!"

"Let's not forget this moment, shall we?" Yang, who was just standing aside his step-pups and Steele, was smiling widely and cheerfully on that scenery. Knowing that Tayer had his relationship established properly for the first time, he wished that if only Shira was here to see this. He watched and watched how Steele, out of the joy, was embracing all of his four pups in a tight fatherly embrace. The others who were around, they were cheering Steele on for this and that he had himself redeemed last night.

Now that Steele was fully reformed, cleared off his crimes from the past, saved his son's life, made sure that the medicine was going to arrive to the town of Nome with their assistance and the fact that everyone around him, and soon in Nome, was now fully accepting him for good. Holding his son in a proper fatherly embrace for around few minutes, the father and the son parted, with Tayer letting him and the siblings know that they might possibly go out for a walk later if he was allowed to go.

Now that he could be trusted, after looking around the other dogs, who were receiving the love and the care from their families, he had decided to do the same to the others - provide some affection and support. Seeing that Galena was quite worried for her parents and Tayer, and now that they were doing well, Steele had put his paw around her shoulders, letting her know: "Worry not, young Galena. All of them are going to be safe, and Tayer and you will have all the time in the world."

"I certainly hope it will be like that." Galena just nodded, watching at that malamute quite shyly. But now that he was being trusted after having the penultimate change of heart, she could not believe it - the malamute who had her, her siblings and cousins kidnapped all the way back in the fall of 1929... was now being someone entirely different. No longer he was the arrogant, murderlusting beastly dog, but a nice, fatherly malamute to begin with.

The rest of the day was flowing as smooth as the fresh snow, with Steele spending time mostly with his pups, who had the friends on their sides. Speaking of them - Koda, Kiana and Phoenix were quite astonished to be next to the malamute who kidnapped them in the act of revenge towards Balto. Now he was their ally, their friend, seeking the light in his own future, and the future of their family in general to be described. Now that he was entirely different, he was enjoying every moment of it, and more was even coming.

By the dawn of the next day, the team was finally ready to set off towards the town of Nome, but considering the fact that the original dogs of the team were required to rest, either by light run or being in the sled, the replacements came in the form of the next ones - Ryan assuming the position of the leadership, Tenana and Taiga being behind him, the row behind the two girls assumed by Rodney and Harath and the final row taken by Sarah and Kassan. The new dogs in the team wished luck to each other.

"I may have had crush on you, then I wanted to crush you for your crimes... funny, ain't it?" Audrey, who was ready to return to the town of Ruby with her nephew Katmai, was aumsed by the fact what she had intended to do with Steele the next time she was going to see him. But now that he was entirely different, she had decided to brush it off and at least greet him off instead. "Well... it is our goodbye here, isn't it?"

"I assume you're right, Audrey." Steele nodded lightly, feeling some kind of affection in his body, as if he intended to give it to Audrey. Truth to be said, he was actually feeling like he was having a crush on Audrey - yet he knew that they had to part the ways and who would ever know when they were going to see each other again. At least they could settle down their disputes away and part like friends. "Farewell."

Along with her nephew, who was greeting his parents and his sister away, she had bid the farewell to her family and friends present and once that was done, Audrey and Katmai had turned around themselves and then they set off towards the town of Ruby. Now that everyone was ready, all they had to do was to wait for Mr. Simpson to arrive. That was relatively short and as soon as he assumed the place on the sled - they were ready to set off home!

The journey to the town of Nome was, despite the blizzards and the dangers of the incoming wild animals, going pretty smoothly. For two days they had been traversing throughout the landscapes of Alaska, following the river Yukon and being led all by young Pierce. Once they left the river Yukon and assumed the way towards the town of Koyuk, they were able to sleep over there and preserve the energy for their glorious return to the town of Nome.

Leaving at the dawn of the next day, the town of White Mountain was half-away between the towns of Koyuk and Nome. Once there, he had noticed that the company of three and their pups - Angel, Forrest and Winter, were heading to their den. There Forrest had finally managed to make amends with Dusty and her parents - forgiving him for hurting their daughter. Furthermore, learning how Steele had changed, Winter had placed his paw on Steele's shoulder and let him know that everything was forgiven before these eight canines had left the rescue team and the sled team.

"Hang on... before we go home..." Tayer, after being replaced for the journey home, spoke to everyone. Him letting the others know that they were going to stay for a very short time was something that had given them mixed reactions. Sure, Shira's first owner Sean was buried in there and all he wanted was to see his grave. But on the other paw, considering the fact that the dogs of Nome had been outside their birthplace for a very long time and the medicine was urgent to these humans... could he at least be quick.

"We're coming too." Sarah spoke to the others, referencing her older siblings. Despite the three already seeing that grave, they wanted to guide him throughout the graveyard so they could be back on the grid as soon as possible. Now that Steele was a reformed malamute, him not seeing that grave would be heartless, but he was no longer heartless malamute from the past. He followed his pups to the graveyard, and started searching for that grave.

"Over here, the grave's over here!" Rodney, whose memory of the tombstone, under which Sean had been buried three years ago, never failed him. Sweeping the snow off the marble tombstone, now the entire family could have witnessed where the young Sean had been buried. Looking at his younger son, whose eyes were pure of disbelief, now that he was in front of the grave of the innocent kid, Steele had placed his paw around his shoulders, wrapped them in a proper fatherly fashion and whispered: "This is going to mean a lot to your mother..."

"I know... that is why we all came here." Taiga, hearing her father's whisper, as she was standing right next to him, responded. That didn't surprise him, as he wanted the others to hear how he was genuinely caring for the fallen kid. The kid that'd very easily make Shira the most vulnerable. But what is for sure was that her weakness should not be used constantly, that'd destroy her entirely. Then, he had felt the stirring on his side, with Tayer whispering: "It is time to go home."

The siblings of his, after standing for a minute in front of the grave, nodded without saying a word. As it was really the time for them to return home, Steele had let go of his embrace and ended up jumping off the fence, returning to the team. They were awaiting them, with some of them patiently and some of them rather impatiently. In the name of them all, Steele just said, full of himself: "Well, this is our final stretch! Let's save the town together!"

The cheering and the howling coming from them was unavoidable, especially that it was coming from someone who had let the children die six years ago. Now it was different - he was regretting that act. Now he was enjoying his brand new life of compassion and friendliness. With that, the teams, both rescue and the sled team, started running towards the town of Nome, intending to be there after the sunset.

The familiar route it was... the stretch between the two towns where the pups of his were conceived, the line that was too dangerous to be during the time his family were the ones who generated the crisis, all because of his ego, the ego that was no longer. Now it was the road like any other, with every mile they were passing, closer they were to the home town, closer to save the humans of Nome, closer to the moral victory they were causing...

"ARRRRRRGHHHH!" That scream had broken the monotony of the hopes coming from the heads of the dogs. Wondering where the scream had come from, they had noticed that the bright brown male husky, Ryan that is, was on his back, wincing in pain. Wondering what could it have been, some of the dogs rushed to his aid and even Mr. Simpson wondered what was going on. Noticing that there was something not right with Ryan's paw, Mr. Simpson had carefully observed it - the ankle on Ryan's paw was sprained.

"Come on, boy. You can't run any longer." Mr. Simpson had Ryan carefully lifted up and carried him to the sled, making place for the crate and Ralph, who had been resting on that sled ever since they had departed from the town of Galena. Because of the wound on his paw, he could not run and was replaced by Sarah. Looking at the lead harness, the one that was Ryan being put in... it was so tempting... to get in that harness and lead the team home and save the town... but wait... what if he ends up being as the only hero? Then the others would look at Steele as some fraud again...

But that harness didn't remain empty for long. No, it was not Steele who had assumed the position of the harness, but Kodi's older son Koda, the dark brown husky. Sure, he disliked being a sled dog, but now that the medicine was in need to be brought to the town and that the young dogs were capable for this work, there was nothing he could comply about. Koda just shouted confidently: "There is nothing else we can do but bring this medicine to the town, let's go!"

Impressed by Koda's choice, with the others following him fast, Steele focused on the young Koda. So young, so serious, so determined and so caring... No wonder why Taiga liked him pretty much. If he was going to become her mate, then Steele'd love to have the young Koda as his own son-in-law. Suddenly, the four wolves, Aleu's pups, just shouted something out and Tundra, being the oldest of them all, beckoned to her siblings to follow her. If they were leaving them on the trail, near the forest, that meant only one thing - they were very close to the town of Nome.

"I see the lights! I see the lights in the distance!" The voice that had the hope stretching all the way to the infinity, coming from Max, his former rival, let the others know. Looking towards the place where Steele was looking, he was not lying. The lights, the lights of the town of Nome, just behind the trees. This was it! They were home, and their home was going to be saved! It was going to be saved thanks to the hard effort of the dogs and other canines of Nome!

With all of the canines out there, running to their birthplace, just across the clearing as they were through the tree lines, with the intention of saving this town finally becoming the truth! And to make things even more exciting, the howls echoed from the running dogs, which had only caused the people, whether they were inside or outside, to rush to the team. The shouts of joy and surprise were heard all across the streets as the medicine crate - the one that had many different meds to cure the sicknesses of the ill ones, was finally delivered!

"It's Balto! Balto brought the medicine!" The people were heard shouting all across the town, yet they were quickly corrected as soon as they were seeing more dogs, the rescue and the sled dogs, alongside Balto. The humans could have noticed that their dogs had been missing for days. The question was - where could they have been? The answer came in the form of this and now that they were realizing why these dogs had been absent - this was the exact reason.

With the humans stroking and hugging their dogs, calling them the heroes, there were some other dogs who had taken no part in this rescue mission, yet these dogs were the families, relatives and the friends to the ones who had gone to the rescue. Suddenly, out of nowhere, as the dogs were released from their harnesses, there was a silver female, with dual facial markings and blue collar, rushing towards them in a very fast pace. It was Yin, Yukon's mate and Yang's sister!

"Yang! YANG! Oh, Yukon!" Yin was heard yelling for her brother's name, but as her mate was standing nearby, she just had to embrace him with the affection. When she was done with him, the pups of theirs, Kiana, Amber, the dark red female with dual eye patches, and Nero, the black male with heterochromea, were next in the line for the affectionate mother embrace. As soon as she was done with them, her brother Yang was the last one to be embraced, in a proper sibling fashion.

"Yang, you must run to Shira, now! She's giving the birth!" Yin yelled to her brother, hiding no excitement underneath her silver fur. Yes, she had been worried for her pups, for her mate and for her brothers all these days, but now that the medicine was here and that the dogs were home, this was just perfect for them all. With Steele hearing Yin's last statement... it was happening. He was going to become the stepfather, which meant that as soon as the humans were going to stop patting him by his back, he was going to head to her and he was going to help her at least feel better. Then he was going to let her know what he had done in the town of Galena. But...

"Steele, you mischievous boy, there you are!" The familiar human could have been heard yelling in the distance. With the instinct working as fast as possible, Steele had already turned around himself and noticed that his owner, Mr. Hedison, was seen running towards him, with his hands widened. The affection and the excitement couldn't have been held back anymore so Steele jumped on his rear paws and almost pounced Mr. Hedison, licking him with the huge amount of the happiness. "You are the hero, my boy! A HERO!"

Being hugged by his owner, while showering his face with his tongue, this was a genuinely touching moment for the reformed malamute. His pups, who were resting nearby, were looking in delight that their father was now the entirely different dog, for good this time. While being hugged by his owner, who had stated out how worried he was for him all these days previously, he had noticed how Ryan was being taken to the vet clinic with Saba's assistance. Speaking of Saba, she had rushed to Ralph, revealing him that Alice was giving the birth to his pups. Before he could have been taken to the vet to have his paw healed, he rushed to her house, without thinking.

"Come on, Steele. We'll go home and get some sleep. I'm sure you are tired from all this." Mr. Hedison whispered to his malamute. That idea of him following home... but he had just told to himself that he was going to help Shira feel better! Somehow, his pups, as if they were able to read his mind, came to his side and Tayer put his paw on his father's back. Surprising Steele a bit, Tayer had just let him know: "Don't worry. We'll take care of mom, you go rest. And don't worry, Steele, we'll tell mom that you've changed!"

Rodney, Sarah and Taiga, hearing these words, they had barked in affirmation and with Steele being let known that there was nothing to worry about, agreed. His pups turned around and with Yin being there, she led her brother Yang and Steele's four pups to Shira's house. Since she was in the labor, going through the hard night. Hard, yes, but also the precious night for her, and Yang's puppies. May she go through this night well...

Following his owner, just running behind him, Steele felt like he was being given the praise this time for the right reasons. His ego never mattered to him this time - he had the heart, the heart strong enough to destroy his pride. Swallowing it, he was rather going to enjoy the kindness and compassion circulating through his body than ditch everyone and backstab them just to show how arrogant he would have been. All in all, they were pretty soon home.

"Steele, my boy, since you've went through the many things these days, I shall allow you to sleep in my bed!" Mr. Hedison, after unlocking the doors of the house and putting the coat on the hinge, decided to award his dog by sleeping next to him in the bed. That thought had never occurred to him, yet the chance being given, he was not going to reject it - he was going to use it. Instead of laying down in his basket, that was consisted of the worn out cushion and worn out blanket - Steele had headed to the bedroom and laid down on the bed, feeling the comfort and the warmth of it. Before Mr. Hedison could have come to the bed, Steele was already sleeping on his side.

The next morning... it had rolled in pretty fast, yet at the same time it felt like it lasted in the ideal proportions. Feeling the hand on his neck, Steele was awaken by it and thankfully, the hand was not strangling him, but cuddling his neck. Hearing the breathing of his owner, he must have fallen asleep while cuddling Steele by his neck. It was indicating how much he was missing him, and Steele was feeling bad for ditching Mr. Hedison few days ago.

Instead of moving on by himself, Steele decided that he was going to rest on the bed until his master was going to get up. Just as he was asking for, Mr. Hedison did wake up soon. With him being awaken, he was putting on his clothes, then he was making the breakfast for Steele and himself, just like any other day for the malamute and his owner, to whom he was giving the real affection, just the way it was supposed to be served. With the breakfast rolling by, Mr. Hedison was finally ready to take him out for a walk.

"Oh well, my boy, we'll take a walk across the town, whaddya say?" Mr. Hedison asked his dog curiously, with Steele barking as if he was trying to say "Yes". Still, since he was the dog and his master was the human, he knew that he was unable to talk to him. But what mattered to him was that he had no longer the desire to Mr. Hedison to become a dog. Let him be a human, he thought to himself, let him be. Locking the house, his master just told him: "Who needs the leash? You're a free dog like any other!"

With the human and the malamute walking throughout the streets of Nome, there were some other humans who would stop by and talk about the heroic deeds of the dogs who had saved the town yesterday, with Steele, of course, receiving some credit for assisting the other dogs to save the town of Nome. This kind of praise and this way of saving the town of Nome, for actually caring for these humans... and the fact that they were depending on that medicine... it made Steele feel eye-opened for the first time in the life.

As they were walking through the side-streets, they were passing through the peculiar house. But that house... it had a rather familiar scent... with that scent, which he did not feel for the past few days... he was rather curious about the owner of that scent. Turning around, noticing that his owner was turning around to see what he was doing. Raising his muzzle, he had sniffed in that scent carefully - it was the scent of Shira, leaving it on the doors. How smart, he thought, now he knew that he was in there...

"Steele, what's the matter, boy?" Mr. Hedison had asked him once or twice, noticing that his dog stopped by to sniff the doors. At first, he thought that he was doing something completely off, because this might have been the residence of someone ominous. But since Mr. Hedison was good friends with the good part of the Nome population, he had inspected the address of the house, realizing it was the residence of one of his friends. He just had to let his dog know: "Alright, but be careful once you're inside. I don't want to end up being savaged by the others for the mess, okay?"

Licking his hand in response, Steele just turned around and pushed the dog doors by his head. The very first room he had entered was the living room. The room that was oozing the warmth and joy, especially because this was the house where Shira was living with her owner... but the miracle that had happened the last night was the reason he was here. Just as he was about to search for his ex-mate and her current mate, he had heard someone calling him: "Steele, what a pleasant surprise!"

The voice that had called him just came from the corner near the window, where the two dogs were. Yang was laying next to the basket, as if he was ready to protect someone. And speaking of that someone, it was Shira, who was laying down in the basket. She was seeming to be tired, exhausted, or whatever the word was. But despite her being tired, she was pretty happy, with the reason laying down in the basket with her.

"Shira, Yang... could it be...?" Steele, noticing two of them in the corner of the next to each other, was hoping that Shira was not too much pained by the miracle that she had went through last night. With her keeping the cheerful look on her face, he was right. Noticing in the basket, he had noticed the three newborn puppies, being nursed by her milk. One was as black as Shira was, the other one was as gray as Yang and the last one, possibly the youngest one, was as silver as Yang's twin sister Yin.

"Steele, I have heard what happened in the town of Galena... I'm so proud at you!" Shira, who was let known by the such events by her pups and her current mate, couldn't hide how proud she was at her ex-mate for sacrificing his dirty pride for the purity of his heart, which he never used before for the ethical purposes. Judging by her tone, Steele could have realized that Shira had forgiven him as well, meaning he could be with his family whenever he desired to, without any restrictions anymore. Looking at his step-pups, the curiosity got the best out of him, prompting Steele to ask: "Have you... named them?"

Shira, looking at her newborns, licked each of them by their tiny little heads, providing them the mother love and comfort as soon as they were heard whimpering. Before Shira, Yang was heard talking: "The oldest one, that black female... her name is Shen. She's named after my mother... who's no longer with us." By mentioning that, Steele and Shira could have noticed how pained he was for no longer having a mother, with Shira nuzzling her mate by his chest. Still, the name of the oldest stepdaughter of his sounded so lovely.

"And this middle gray girl, her name is Atta. And this youngest one, the silver one... he has the left side white and right side black, Ian is his name." Shira revealed the names to Steele, thus he had to memorize the names of his step-pups. He was very proud that his ex-mate was with someone whom she loved... if only the past that had been in his vision was real... he and Shira would have made a great family... but that was no longer a thing. Still, before going with Mr. Hedison, Steele just observed the puppies carefully, as if he was going to melt from the cuteness.

With the weeks passing by... four weeks to be exact, by that time, not only the town canines went on to meet Shira's puppies, but Alice's puppies as well. Steele could have observed his older pups being the step-siblings of Shira's new pups, as well as him being their stepfather. But what mattered to him now was that, he was no longer the stranger canine to be avoided for his crimes, but the member of the everyday society and the friend of theirs. Yes, Steele got to meet the young Shen, Atta and Ian and adored the little ones. Sure, they didn't know anything about Steele's dark past, but once that day was going to come, then the puppies would find out about it. Let them enjoy their puppy days now...

And that day, on the beach outside of the town of Nome... it was a beautiful October morning. The sun was shining brightly, the chilly breeze was in the air, yet the seawater remained as calm, as if it was a glass. Even if that day was cold, considering the fact that it was fall right now, none of that mattered to the two dogs out there, both of them resting on their backs on the beach. One of them was Steele, enjoying the fresh snow on his back, while his son Tayer was next to him, enjoying the snow too.

"You know, Tayer... ever since we have set off on that journey one month ago... it had changed me a lot, for good." Steele was talking to his youngest son, in the most proper father-son talk no one would have ever thought about. Even if Tayer was surprised by this new life of his father, he got quickly used to it, knowing that this change of heart had made him a better dog, much better than he was. Most importantly - he was redeemable.

"And let's not forget that despite your hatred and dark ego, there was still some light in your life." Tayer reminded him, ready to improve his relationship with his father if necessary. He wasn't hiding it, as now that his father was completely reformed, he could have spent more time with him, without being afraid. Suddenly, he had realized what the day today was, so he got on all of his fours. Once raising on his paws, he had reminded Steele on this: "Just to let you know, your step-pups are turning one months old today! Shall I let mom know that you're coming too?"

Even if Steele couldn't keep up with every event that was present on the plate served in front of him, he had at least acknowledged that exactly one month ago, he had become the stepfather of the triplets. Raising up, but only to sit down, he just let his son know: "Tell your mother that I shall be there soon. I think there's something I should do here." Without questioning his father what could it have been, knowing that there are some things in life that shouldn't have been exposed to the surface, Tayer turned around and before he headed to Shira's, he was heard saying: "Then see you soon, Steele!"

"Bye, son!" Steele greeted him off, stating out the word "son" clearly and with a nice tone. He wanted to state out that he was, ever since he had saved his son on that rough journey, seeing Tayer as his own son indeed. Watching Tayer leave, this just made him think about all these events, such as... avoiding demise in that river, spying on his family to make sure they get rid of Balto, attacking his own son, having the encounter with Aniu, having that vision, openly and remorsefully seeking the redemption... up until he had saved his son's life...

While he was thinking, he couldn't have focused on the incoming canine. He did notice on the corner of his eye that it was the black female walking on the beach. Seeing that it was a black one, he thought to himself without much analyzing the incomer: "I wonder what does Sarah have to tell me? Maybe Shira sent her to retrieve me... If so, then I should go see her and the step-puppies... I hope that..."

"I see that you're enjoying the beautiful beach morning." The female spoke to Steele. The tone, however, was something completely different. Even Steele perked his ears upon hearing that tone - sweet, mellow and innocent. But this felt like as if it was the true mellowness. That could not be Sarah, nor Shira, because she'd been spending most of her time in the house or around the house, but not this far from the house.

Turning his head towards his right, just to make sure who that mysterious female was... she was looking like either Shira or Sarah... but that couldn't have been either of them. Sure, she was black, and her underbelly was white. Yet her eyes were cyan colored. That was definitely neither his ex-mate nor his younger daughter. Shira had green eyes, whereas Sarah had the ocean blue eyes and the bright gray underbelly. This female had the white underbelly. And the collar! How could he not notice the collar?! It was blue, but the tag on that collar was not silver, it was golden!

"Ummmm... did I say something wrong?" The female, who had noticed how focused he was on her, literally out of himself. She didn't realize that not only he was surprised to see her, but was frankly feeling like as if he was having... a crush on her. Wondering whether she had made a misstep, the female coughed once or twice, just to make sure she was going to correct herself in her introduction. She spoke again: "I didn't want to bother you... but here we go, I am Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth", that word had started circulating in his head. With the stunning looks in his eyes, and the name being as sweet as the sweet delicious wine... there were no doubts, he was liking her at the first sight. Trying to stay cool in front of his new female, Steele had mustered all of his courage and just said, with the nervous voice being disguised as the cool one: "Well, it is pleasure to meet you. My name is Steele!" After he introduced himself, Steele chuckled twice, wondering whether he'd leave the impression on this female.

Elizabeth, who not only was having a fun time with Steele, was feeling quite shy, yet at the same time, happy to be around this malamute. Not to mention, she was not from this town and meeting someone like him at the first sight was indeed a real treat. She couldn't hold it back, as she thought: "If he's like this... maybe he might be my first friend here!" Watching each other in the eyes, she just asked him in a sweet tone: "What kind of pretty dog like you are doing here on the beach alone?"

That tone, a pretty flirty one, was quite seductive, with Steele feeling like he was going to fall in the trance from her sweet tone. But it just didn't feel right... not that ever since he was reformed... his conscience was working in an astonishing rate. She was there, flirting with him and he was enjoying it, but at the same time... it just felt wrong. It didn't feel like he was supposed to be with her, not after he was with Shira.

"Elizabeth... I don't want to lie to you or hurt you, but I must tell you to follow me." Steele had instructed the female next to him. He knew the following... if they were going to become a couple, then he could not just hide his past, Shira and his pups under the carpet. He was going to talk with his ex-mate, wanting to make sure that at least he was conscientious and sincere. Elizabeth, being confused a bit regarding his demand, decided to follow him, with both of them heading to the town.

"Steele, what's the matter?" Elizabeth was asking her new friend, noticing that the look on his face was indicating some kind of worry and guilt. He had to face it - she had to at least acknowledge the existence of his family with Shira, who was now with Yang, both of them having the triplets. Heading to Shira's house, he looked at her, as if their friendship was not going to last any longer, he let her know: "Just wait here, but don't expect too much from me afterwards."

Elizabeth, nodding, felt like this was going to lead somewhere, and neither her nor him had any clue whether this was going to end well or not. Pushing the doors with his head, Steele had noticed that his pups, all four of them, were inside, laughing cheerfully. Shira and Yang were also there, with Yang being the main source of the fun whereas Shira was sitting next to him. The triplets, now one month old, were laughing cheerfully as they were rolling on their backs in the carpet, obviously having tons of fun.

"Steele, it's nice to see you!" These words were heard as soon as he was fully inside, being noticed by his older son Rodney first. While smiling at the pups for having as much fun as possible, he was happy to see his father coming. But noticing that guilty look on his face, Rodney was also the first one to notice that something did not seem just right. The others were having the same looks as soon as they had noticed the look on his face. The puppies on the floor kept playing with each other, with Yang agreeing to cheer them up furthermore.

"What's wrong?" Shira asked him, noticing that for the first time ever since his reformation one month ago, he was unhappy for some reason, with the guilt brewing in his body. This was the first challenge for Steele after that one month of the prosperity and the happiness. Sure, he and Shira were no longer with each other, but it just didn't feel right for him to date someone behind Shira's back. As the family were looking curiously at him, Steele turned his head around and said: "Elizabeth, you can come in!"

It only had taken a second or two when he had said these words. With the doors being pushed front, it had revealed Elizabeth coming in. This had left his pups and his ex-mate really surprised, seeing the black female, mostly taking after either Shira and Sarah, was accompanying Steele. Now that there was the new female in there, this felt like as if Shira knew what was going on. But before she spoke, Elizabeth just asked: "Steele, who are these? Your family?"

Not wanting to ruin everything by hiding, Steele had decided to take the path of the truth and go on with it. He nodded to Elizabeth, thus revealing why he was feeling remorseful upon trying to flirt with her. Turning to his family, who had realized that she was someone he might have possibly a crush on, he was speaking the following: "You see, Elizabeth... you and I just met, and I feel like... as if I really like you. But the thing is, I don't want to cause any troubles. I don't want to hide anything from you. This is my family, but the thing is, Shira is my ex-mate, now having the pups with Yang, over there. I am not sure if I'm doing the right thing..."

"You're doing the right thing." That confident voice came from Shira, being let known about her ex-mate's desires. Even if they were mates at one point, they both moved on, her with Yang, so why couldn't he be with Elizabeth? After all, he did change for good - and if he was having feelings for someone, then why ditching the chance?! "Steele, let your past go. If you feel like you're bearing the feelings for her, then you should be with her!"

That response actually caught him off the guard. Even if they were bearing no longer the feelings for each other anymore, this was clearly the surprise for him. She was right, if she could be with Yang, then he could be with Elizabeth, without any ill feelings for each other. The pups were also looking like as if they were approving their father to be with the new one. Yang, who, despite not being on the track mostly, was pretty fine with this. The puppies, Shen, Atta and Ian, stopped with the play, only to notice the new dog in the house.

Elizabeth, who was surprised that her new friend actually had the family, and the fact that he wanted to be in a relationship with her, smiled sweetly and rubbed her head against his chest, obviously showing no signs of any ill luck towards him. Now that there was no one who was going to resent him for this, he started rubbing his head against her with his chin, which actually made the others feel flattered by this scenery.

"Elizabeth, now meet my family..." Steele raised his paw towards Shira, Tayer, Rodney, Taiga and Sarah, as well as towards Yang, Shen, Atta and Ian. Even if he wasn't related in blood with the latter dogs, he was at least to be kind enough to introduce his friend to the family members of his. Furthermore, when the time was going to be right, Steele was going to tell the Elizabeth that he had done some of the terrifying this in the life, but that was, as said, the story for the other time. With the cheerful smile on his face, as if he was like one of the triplets at the moment, he was hoping that his relationship with Elizabeth was going to improve.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Reward of the Heart

It was now very clear that with Shira approving to see her ex-mate, along with her pups, to be with Elizabeth, the new dog of the town of Nome, who had moved in the town recently, Steele's life was going to be much more prosperous. Hearing the stories of the group of the dogs who helped the team to retrieve the medicine back to Nome, Elizabeth was fortunate enough to struck the gold for herself - the reformed malamute.

Though, as much as she enjoyed spending time with him, she felt like that his backstory was rather... dark one. As if he, who was now compassionate, fatherly, conscientious and friendly, was hiding something that should have seen the light of the day. Keeping up to his word, Steele had decided to muster the courage, recall the dark days of his past time, and reveal every crime, now each of them being forgiven, to her. He knew that this was going to put their friendship on the test.

So, two days after meeting each other, Steele had gathered his new friend onto the porch of his house and then he started narrating the backstory of his. There he had mentioned how ever since he was the puppy, he was very much adored by humans and dogs alike, leading him to his arrogant and egoistic lifestyle he was leading for the most of time. Thus he had tormented the ones who hadn't deserved it and once, out for the sake of his own ego, let the children of Nome to die six years ago, claiming he didn't need any help from Balto, which was the proof he was dead wrong.

Furthermore, he had revealed to her that he wanted to get the revenge on Balto twice, once after the town was saved. But before the second one, he had revealed that he had found Shira, had pups with her and only used them for his own purposes to get rid of his former enemy, almost losing his life. Then, he mentioned how he supervised his family from the wild, then how they had changed sides because of Tayer and how he attacked his son in the fit of the rage, thus being banished from the dog community.

The narration was not stopping just there, with him revealing how isolation was at first giving him the blessed feeling, but with the old scars revoked and the visit from the white wolf Aniu, he had to change himself and went onto the exhausting journey of his life to redeem himself. Even if the chances were decreasing slowly, he was not letting the hope slip away from his paws. In the end, he had revealed that he had saved his own son Tayer, being crushed by the remorse for attacking him, thus he was being forgiven for every crime he had done.

Being done with his narration, he had noticed that Elizabeth was pretty astonished by these words, not expecting that his crimes were that heavy. But the look on her face was not the astonishing type of the look that was going to make her slap him for being a such jerk because of his pride, but the type of the look that was indicating that despite his crimes committed, he actually went through all of this to seek the forgiveness that had been finally given to him after everything, revealing that even the hardcore cruel beings had heart.

"Steele... after hearing this... I could have ended our friendship... but since you have confessed your crimes out of the honesty and the fact that you're feeling terrible for doing this... I'm proud at you!" Elizabeth, after finally breathing normally and changing the look on her face, buried her head into his chest deeply and catching in his scent. Now that he was knowing that Elizabeth was not going to ditch him, he was feeling like as if he had done the greatest thing in the name of the entire dog community in the world. Wrapping his paw around her shoulders, this was meaning a lot for him, knowing that was going to have someone for the further seek of the solace.

The word of Steele confessing his crimes honestly and remorsefully to Elizabeth traveled as fast as the light to every single canine in Nome and outside of it. Knowing that Steele was going to do everything to let the truth swim on the surface, that was the further trigger for them all to genuinely believe in him and the trust he was going to earn from them was guaranteed. Furthermore, if he was going to be friends with his old cronies, Nikki, Kaltag and Star, he was no longer going to treat them as his underlings, but as his best friends.

"You have gotten yourself a new girl, haven't you, Steele?" The laughter of Nikki exploded throughout the boiler room as Steele was in there, along with some other dogs inside, including the trio of his former cronies, whom he had decided to look on as his friends from now on. That laughter coming from Nikki was not a mocking one, but rather a supporting one, knowing that Steele was now "the good guy" in the canine community of Nome dogs. "Not to mention that you have scored the real jackpot out of it!"

"Come on, guys, Elizabeth and I are just getting to meet each other better, nothing special." Steele just spat these words out kinda nervously, knowing that these three were aware of the feelings he had been feeling towards Elizabeth. He had to admit it - he didn't like her, he loved her! Even if she was looking a lot like his former mate Shira, the difference between the two was that... while Shira and he were having the respect for each other now, they never shared any proper love. With Elizabeth, he felt like the love flowing in-between them.

"But how come you don't ask her out for a date? Or ask her to be your mate?!" Star, being the loudmouth as ever, barked these words out, without realizing that they were not the only four in the boiler room. Thankfully, the other canines inside, who were more or less the young dogs, such Kodi and Dingo's sons, weren't paying that much attention to them. Sure, they were accepting Steele from now on, despite the fact that he was the dog who had them kidnapped in 1929, yet they didn't seem to be quite aware of Steele's new friend. With Steele exhaling in relief that these young dogs didn't hear that, Star was feeling like as if there was going to be the familiar impact on his head for bawling the words out.

But Kaltag, who was in charge of smacking Star in head whenever the purple dog was interrupting him or the others, or even saying some of the dumbest things that the others would wonder if he had a brain, did not do the exact thing. Sure, he had raised his paw a bit, but now that Steele was doing very well with Elizabeth, then why was he wasting time?! Now that he had her, this led Kaltag to ask: "He's right, Steele. You should really ask Elizabeth out!"

"That's a generous idea coming from you, yet..." After hearing his friends' suggestion, Steele was wondering whether that was the good idea or not. The two had been knowing each other for three weeks so far, but the idea of rushing ahead to ask her out was something he was not being fond of. But thinking at the same time... with Shira it was different. Not long after they met, they became mates real fast, but only for his evil purposes. Now that dark past being gone, he could happily carry on with the future ahead of him. "...you know what? I shall ask her and if she wants to, this could be the lucky chance for both of us!"

"Atta Steele, show them who's in charge!" Star barked once again, as if Steele was some kind of role model to him, despite no longer being his underling. Yet this line coming from him irked Kaltag to the such measures that in the next moment, Star was smacked in the head, laying down on the floor unconscious, whereas Steele had left boiler room. Meanwhile, one of Dingo's sons, Kassan, seeing the punch, just puffed with his mouth out of the irritation, saying: "And they say that our pranks go too far!"

Back to Steele, who was now running to the town of Nome, wondering what was Elizabeth up to now. Knowing that it was all on "Deal or no deal", he was going to decide wisely and by this point, it was pretty likely that he was going to go with "Deal". Knowing where Elizabeth was living, he had headed towards the houses laying in The Main Street, some of them being for sale for every newcomer to this town. Once in the street, all he had to do was to find Elizabeth's house.

Finding the house immediately, there his friend was, yet she was not alone. Much to the pleasant surprise of his, Balto and Jenna were with Elizabeth, whose looks on their faces were like as if they had met Elizabeth at this exact day. Even if she had heard from Steele's story about Balto, it was now or never when she was going to meet this town hero and the lovely mate of his. Noticing the newcomer, it was just the matter of the moments when Balto spoke: "Oh, hey Steele. We just met with your friend Elizabeth!"

"And these two are really nice, Steele. How come you couldn't be friends with them before?" Elizabeth shared the compliments to both wolf-dog and the Siberian husky, wondering why Steele couldn't let his past go before, but that was something that no longer mattered to them. With Elizabeth's question, he was fearing that both the wolf-dog and his mate would give some kind of resentful looks towards him. Thankfully, they didn't do that, but Jenna said: "What matters now, Elizabeth, is that we are friends here, aren't we?"

"No doubts, Jenna." It was Steele who said these words, being kinda surprised that he was the one who said it. But now that he was in the pursuit of his life dreams, for the good intentions this time, he no longer had to get surprised to give compliments to the dog he once had a crush on nor the compliments to his former archenemy, now being his good friend. Looking at Elizabeth, he just felt the great amount of urge coming out of his head. Trying not to be reluctant, he had to ask her: "Say, Elizabeth... are you free this evening?"

That was the question that indeed rendered Elizabeth speechless. Despite the fact that the two dogs were knowing each other for weeks, to be asked that soon was something she was not going for. But before she could reply, she had felt someone's paw on her shoulder and it was none other else than Balto, speaking to her: "If I were you, Elizabeth, I'd miss no chances with him!" He was hoping that she was going to understand.

Indeed, the lines that he had said were understandable enough for the new husky in Nome. Looking at her friend, with a lovely smile spreading from the cheek to the cheek, she let him know the following, something that made Steele almost faint out of the sweetness, and that was: "If you have a surprise for me, I shall we waiting you here by the sunset." Furthermore, she awarded him with the lick on the cheek, leaving the malamute astonished and speechless for the few moments. Just behind Elizabeth, Balto and Jenna were heard cheering them on. It was the deal - the date was going to work, and the happy smile across Steele's face was just approving that.

As the day was passing by, this was definitely going to be one grand night for malamute, but with the one he was having feelings for, not using that someone for the dirty purposes. He just couldn't hide his excitement - he let know the others as much as he could, he wanted to know that he was going to make some big steps for his future. Even if he wasn't a youthful dog anymore, he was still being full of potential and energy ahead in his life, so why to waste the opportunity ahead of him?

"This is your new chance, and may you use it well." Shira was speaking to her ex-mate, being accompanied by their pups near Elizabeth's house. It was genuinely impressing to see that the two dogs, once mates, were now re-building their friendship. Sure, there was not much love between them, but who said that he couldn't change? He had changed a lot throughout these two years, and scored the ultimate success in his life. It was then when Taiga was heard saying: "Oh, there she comes!"

Looking ahead of himself, Taiga was not laying. Elizabeth was indeed coming out of her house. But with her fur groomed, her tag on the collar shining as bright as the sun, the scent that was as lovely as the finest spring rose, there was no doubt that Steele was starting to pant for her, being unable to resist that kind of beauty. The ones that were surrounding him were softly chuckling, yet went quiet as soon as Elizabeth approached them.

"Oh, this is just sweet, being accompanied by your family!" Elizabeth mused a lot, indicating that she was very much fond of Steele's family. Now that the two were going to crown their relationship soon, he had at least his family coming from his ex-mate on his side. Even he had to hold himself from panting, looking like a complete goof in front of her. With her flirty, yet understanding look, she just let him know: "I am ready to go, how about you, Steely?"

Now the name that she had just called him made Steele blush totally. Yet, none of his pups nor Shira were making fun of him, knowing that since he was going to have a great night in his life together, let his cool be as high as possible. With him nodding, he softly whispered to her: "After you." Both turning around, they nodded to his family, hoping to harvest the good luck from all five of them. They all nodded in response, providing him with all of the best luck they could give. Tayer was heard saying: "Good luck." But as soon as he said it, he muttered something completely inaudible, as if he was trying to say "dad".

With the malamute and the husky heading to the beach, where they were seen laughing with each other and running out of the delight, it was clear that both of them were enjoying each other's company. Steele couldn't believe that he was going to ask her to be hers, despite the two knowing each other only for some time. Yet at the same time, she had seen something inside him, undoubtedly. This could be the chance for them both!

Then, as they were running, Steele didn't realize how fast Elizabeth was, even faster than the ex-champion of Nome. She was young anyways, but the question was, how young? He was in his middle ages, yet not too old for her at least. Then, out of blue, Elizabeth turned around and was facing him, without him realizing what was she going to do. Trying to at least slow down, it was a bit too late as Elizabeth was faster - she sprung high in the air, spread her paws and pounced him. Both rolling in the snow, it came to be that he was now laying on his back, on the snowy beach, with the slight blush stretching on his face. At the same time, she was laying with her body on the top of him, giving the flirty look to him.

"Isn't this a wonderful night, Steely?" Elizabeth asked him with a really dreamy voice, having him on his back down there. No doubts, she was indeed having feelings for him, despite Steele being once notorious, but that was now the matter of the past. He was now living in the present and what mattered to him the most was that he was in the prosperous relationship with his family and he had the female of his dreams. Coughing inside himself in order to avoid giving her bad impression, he just let her know: "It wouldn't have been beautiful without you... Lizzy."

Hearing that name, the look on her face was saying that it was the very first time she was called like that. While it was a bit surprising for the black female husky to hear that name being used on her, she was oddly enjoying it, which was proven by the slight chuckle coming out of her. Knowing that he was trying to be flirty towards her too, showing that they were for each other, she just whispered him: "Now we're playing it lovely, don't we?"

He knew what was she trying to say, but for now, seeing her on the top of his body, she felt like as if she was shining the light out of her own body. Fun thing was that just behind her, above in the starry sky, the bright moon was shining, as if it was the shiniest moment of the entire time everyone'd have ever said. That was enough for him to start the river of the compliments: "Lizzy, ever since I've met you, it felt like as if there was the void in my life to fill in, despite finishing my life mission. If it wasn't for you, I'd have spent the rest of my life seeking for that someone to fill in my life entirely. Now I see that is you... beautiful."

These words were enough affectionate for the female husky like Lizzy to be taken away from the reality and to float into the river of love with the malamute. All the words he had spoken for her - genuinely sincere from the first till the last letter. Knowing that if this would go with the compliments ahead, then the chance was going to be much closer than it should have been. She just moved her muzzle towards his ear and whispered: "And even if your life was not always the awarding to you in good intentions, at least you have proven that you could change, without being forced to do so. And that is the reason why I love you a lot... Steely."

"You... you love me?" These last words she had whispered to him were the words that immediately started echoing in his head. She said, she absolutely had said it - she loved him! After all, the void in his life after changing for good could have been fulfilled at last. With her moving her muzzle back, it was now his turn to tell something and even if he wasn't preparing himself for the next turn, he tried to be careful by saying these words: "I love you too, Lizzy... I really love you... as if both of us are born to be for each other... to be... mates..."

Granted, he was knowing that saying these words were a bit risky, but if there was the true sparkle between them, then there was no hesitating. This was the biggest chance of his life, not meant to be blown. Even if she was surprised at the first sight, it was enough for her to smile from the cheek to the cheek and to bury the head in his chest, saying: "Only with you, only with you." That November night, even if it was piercing with the cold, it was warm for both of them to confirm that they were going to be together - as mates!

One and a half month later... on the Christmas day, in the boiler room...

"If this Christmas doesn't get any better, then I have no clue what it might be!" Kodi, who, along with his family and friends, capable to fill the entire boiler room, enjoyed every single second he was spending in here, obviously being quite fond of Christmas. Even if humans could celebrate it, so how could dogs not celebrate this finest day? The others inside were literally cheerful by it.

"I don't know about you, dad, but Taiga and I are going on our Christmas date!" Koda, Kodi's oldest pup and his older son, bearing the brown fur combined from his father and mother together, along with the eyes of his mother Dusty, was stating out proudly that he was going to go out on a date with Taiga. However, her siblings had in mind the similar thought: ask their friends to go with them on a date. Being proud at his son as always, Kodi gave him few fatherly pats in his back, letting him know that he could have seen in his own son how grown he was.

"Even if I am not related to you, guys, but I have the same thing in my mind - with Alaska." Pierce, who was, along everyone else in the boiler room, present at the Christmas celebration, had the same thought in his head to ask the daughter of Josh and Saba for their first date. Knowing how his guiding throughout the cold heart of Alaska was paying off very well, the date must have happened, knowing how much that would mean to the young cream brown husky. Looking around in hopes to find the brother of his crush, he had seen Dakotah talking to Calla, the young white female Canadian husky whom he had met only few days ago. They were seeming to get along with each other pretty well.

"Oh, look! Guess who's coming!" Taiga whispered, hearing the familiar pawsteps walking towards the doors from outside. With both her parents' senses combined, she was doing pretty well in finding out whose pawsteps these were belonging to. Much to their expectations, it was none other else than the reformed malamute Steele, greeting the others cheerfully and wishing the Christmas to all of them at once. Looking behind himself proudly, as if there was the reward for him outside, yet the reward he had actually deserved, he just softly spoke: "Lizzy, come on, don't be shy..."

Just behind him, there was his new mate, Elizabeth. The look on her face, although it was seeming quite happy, it was also mixed with some kind of the unexpected embarrassment. Knowing that her mate was by her side, making sure that no bad words would be shot in her direction, she listened to him. It didn't take the others too long to see why she was shying herself so much. It was her belly, as if it was seeming swollen. But in fact, she was bearing the puppies of Steele's inside.

"A... Amazing!" That astonishing stuttering was coming from none other else than Shira. Over the course of the weeks, as she and Elizabeth met each other, these two females had become good friends with each other. Lately, Elizabeth wasn't seen too much outside, nor was seen by many others. Now that she was standing on the entrance, moving slowly and carefully, to make sure her unborn puppies are safe, it was also Shira who ran to her, saying: "Let me help you."

Not expecting the hospitality of the ex-mate of her mate, she let Shira help her in and finding a comfortable spot for Elizabeth, the pillow near the heater in the corner of the room was awaiting the pregnant female to rest there. Laying on the pillow and feeling the comfort of it, Elizabeth just exhaled in relief. Watching her friend, she smiled gently towards her, with the smile stretching across her fluffy cheeks, saying: "Shira, thank you so much. This kind of hospitality means a lot to me."

"It is my pleasure to help you, Elizabeth." Shira spoke with a quite sisterly voice towards Elizabeth. With Steele heading to his current mate, he laid next to her and put the paw on her back, humming some kind of the song for her, while at the same time allowing the others to join him if they wanted to. Making the way through, it was Tayer who made his way, but he was carrying his little stepbrother Ian in his jaws by his neck scruff. The excitement on the little puppy's face was huge upon seeing Elizabeth's belly.

"Is it true? Is it true that aunt Elizabeth is having puppies?!" Little Ian barked joyfully several times, wondering how it felt like inside the belly of his mother. Being licked in the cheek by his mother Shira, Tayer smiled widely and let his step-brother down, who ran towards Elizabeth and Steele, both of them being delighted to see the young puppy coming to them. Turning towards the others to see what they were thinking, Steele had noticed that the place on Tayer's cheek where the scar was, there was just the faded line on it, but it felt like as if it was so fresh.

"Put the paw on my belly and you'll feel them, Ian." Elizabeth whispered softly to the young puppy, her smile being the exact same one - wide on both of her cheek. Putting his tiny paw on his step-father's mate's belly, he had to wait for some time and wait. Suddenly, he felt one strong kick coming from the unborn puppy in Elizabeth's belly, followed by Ian's gasping. But Elizabeth kept her optimism, putting the paw on the spot where she had felt her unborn's puppy kick, muttering: "Don't worry, little one. You'll come to this world in two, or three weeks!"

With the others, who were focusing their looks on Steele and Lizzy, trying not to leave any bad impressions by staring at her pregnant belly, the ones who had seen enough, these two being none other else than Balto and Jenna, had something in their minds. Looking at each other, it was just the time when one of them, that being Jenna, saying: "The bone that Elizabeth is carrying six puppies!", followed with Balto's raised paw and him saying: "Deal!", before both of them high-fived each other with their paws. Then, to make sure they were showing some kind of the proper care, Balto and Jenna made their way to them both.

January 12th, streets of Nome...

"Now we shall see, after our visit, who is the one who gets the bone!" Jenna giggled amusingly, remembering the bet with her wolf-dog mate. It was the snowy January morning, with both Balto and Jenna heading to the house where Elizabeth was living. The reason why they were going there was none other else than... her finally becoming the mother of Steele's puppies. Not only Steele was going to be there, but the family from Shira's side, along with the others coming.

Heading towards the dog doors of Elizabeth's house, Balto delightfully nodded, with him adding: "Let us not mention that betting here. Instead, let us enjoy the time with them." Knowing that bones and betting had no place at the moment, but to be used later on, Jenna agreed. With Balto holding his paw at the dog doors, letting his lovable mate in, Balto followed her and it did not take them too much that Lizzy and Steele were in the living room, just under the window.

The lovable sight for both wolf-dog and the husky awaited them. Elizabeth was resting her head on the pillow, smiling despite her being a bit exhausted. Steele was by her side, licking her face in order to provide her some well-deserved comfort, with him being eagerly happy. What was bringing the attention to them all was that there were the whimpering sounds coming from that basket. This meant none other thing than...

"Balto, Jenna! What a surprise to see you here first!" Steele, noticing the first guests inside, was literally surprised that his former archenemy and the female who ditched him long time ago were his first guests. Still, now all three of them were friends with each other. It seemed like as if Steele was awaiting for his family to come first, but it appeared to be that these two were first. Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes, noticing the guests. She raised her paw slowly and muttered: "Don't be shy. Come and see, as everyone should see!"

Accepting their offer, both Balto and Jenna made their steps forward and soon enough, it was the sight in the basket that had Jenna pretty much flattered, with her leaning on Balto's shoulder. The puppies - six of them, was something that was to cherish as some kind of the proudest moments of their lives. They were being fed by their mother's milk, whimpering when they were unable to find the satisfying spot for themselves, with Elizabeth eventually licking them by their tiny little heads in case of whimpering coming from them.

"We're waiting for my family to come, then we'll..." As Steele was saying these words, there were the dog doors creaking nearby and turning towards the spot where the creaking came from, more dogs were coming. These weren't just any dogs, these were his ex-mate Shira, followed by her current mate Yang. Then, Taiga, Rodney, Sarah and Tayer, his pups, accompanied by Koda, Kiana, Phoenix and Galena, entered the room. He was asking himself whether the mention of his family was some kind of miracle or the coincidence.

"We apologize if we are late... or maybe we aren't?" Tayer was the one who had said these words, but noticing his step-siblings, the newborn puppies in the basket, nursed by Lizzy and being given her love and Steele's care, then he could just relax. Looking at more guests and noticing the place where Tayer's scar was... it was still there, yet it was very much faded by this point, leaving the bright line on the cheek. This meant that everything was well by this point.

Then, realizing that the puppies in the basket, whose names were yet to be revealed, as if this was going to be the best moment of his life entirely, he focused on the guests, with their views being eager of the anticipation and wonder, this was going to be time he was going to start the introduction of his six newborns, letting Lizzy rest for now. Clearing his throat with his coughing, it was now or never, but at least he said: "Now here are the names of the puppies. Are you ready?"

Of course, the response came with the eager nodding and the anticipation boiling inside them. With his response in the form of nodding, Steele had put his paw around Lizzy's shoulders and with the other paw, he nudged the first puppy, which was the nearest one to Elizabeth's chest. It was the female, bearing the same facial markings as Shira and the same underbelly color. He started: "This one is the oldest. Her name is Annabeth."

"She looks quite a lot like you, Shira." Yang whispered these words to his lovable mate, with her just chuckling it off, considering the fact that he was just trying to flatter her. Not going to make any fun about that comment, it was up to Steele to carry on with the introductions and now that he was nudging the puppy next to Annabeth. It was the male one, being black, with the introduction: "This is the oldest male, Titanium being his name."

This name was the one that earned some pleasantly surprised gasps, as if that little puppy was going to push forward in his life with that kind of name, earning lots of respect. Now the puppy that was next to Titanium. It was the another male, as black as his brother, but his ears were white, being introduced with: "And this little brother of Titanium is Timber. Resembles a bit your younger sister, Kiana. And you too, Phoenix."

That comment was followed by Kiana's sweet giggling, which was as sweet as the natural apple juice, a joy to be heard by everyone around. Phoenix just laughed out of the delight. Then, it was now up to introduce the younger puppies, and there was the female puppy next to Timber. She quite a lot resembled her mother and it seemed like as if Steele was going to explode in the pride. Nudging the female, he tried to keep his voice normal by saying: "This is Amanda, the second daughter of ours."

"Something tells me that your father is going to love that one the most." Koda whispered in Taiga's ear, thus unintentionally making that happen at some point in the future. Taiga winked to him and licked his cheek in response, trying to remain silent. Moving on, there was the third and the youngest male. He was completely resembling his father, considering the fact that he had the black eye patches, his name being: "Geed, this little one is Geed, looking a lot like me."

Then, there was the youngest one, the female. That female was completely standing out of her siblings. Her fur was white and her underbelly was black instead, with her unique looks quite surprising the others. With that last one to be introduced, that was the thing to be said by Steele, and he did it, by saying: "And this youngest baby of ours is Noir. Quite impressive looks, aren't they?"

The others were sincerely nodding and it was just the question who was going to break the silence. Of course, that honor belonged to Balto, that being said: "This is the moment for our dear friend Steele and his beloved mate Elizabeth to cherish their moments with their puppies. We'd all love to be with them, but it is just the question when they'll need our privacy with the puppies." That was something that was respected by the households and the guests alike.

Steele was approving this, now that he was no longer craving for his ego and pride anymore, but was following his heart. Resting by Lizzy's side, he was going to make sure that every moment of their lives were going to pay off really well. Jenna, watching all this in the pure impression and delight, whispered in her mate's ear: "He has passed the way of his life, showing that he could change at last. It is all the question of the time when their puppies would meet us all."

It was the line that was responded with Balto's nodding, but he realized that these times for game was the story for some other time, as long as the puppies were sound and safe by their parents. Pride or Heart... Pride or Heart... He had chosen well... The heart...

THE END


End file.
